Little Moments
by Tigercry
Summary: "I belong in our little cabin in the woods with you and Yui, Kirito." Little moments in the world of SAO, ALO, and in real life with Kirito and Asuna as the main characters. Asuna and Kirito have gone through so much, but behind the scenes, they've gone through even more than what meets the eye. Note: I do accept requests however I can't promise they'll end up completed.
1. Weakness,Asuna's Sorta Lost Her Mind(ALO

_Weaknesses, Asuna's Sorta Lost her Mind_

 _ **ALheim (ALO)**_

Asuna had the end of Sinon's tail held in both hands and pressed against her cheek, giggling and flat-out refusing to let Sinon go. Hence why Sinon has messaged him and was now tugging on her tail while trying to escape Asuna's grasp.

"Kirito do something!" Sinon managed to escape Asuna's lucid grasp and started to run around the plaza, her tail streaming behind her. Of which she flicked repeatedly to avoid Asuna's outstretched hands as she chased her. "Asuna! Q-Quit it!" Sinon almost meowed, "eep! Asuna! Cut it out!"

"Sinon come back!" The blue haired Undine chased the Cait Sith around with faint giggles coming from her mouth, "You don't have to run!" Asuna was surprisingly fast for her only half lucid self and was easily catching up with Sinon. However, her brain was running just a little slow and she stopped every time she went to snatch Sinon's tail. That pixie's dust, causing the Amosphere to fire random neurons in her brain to stimulate a hallucinating effect, combined with an already sleep deprived Asuna of the number of tests and stuff going on in the real world made a very goofy, giggly, and weird acting Asuna.

Kirito registered the others watching from the nearby inn with their hands over their mouths in laughter, but couldn't tear his eyes away from the odd sight in front of him. Who was Asuna really and where was the girl he knew? And more than that, he had never seen Sinon blush as much as he was right now. It wasn't uncommon for Asuna to have a blush painted over her light-skinned cheeks with how easily embarrassed she got, but Sinon was usually such a calm and serious person, a blush was a rare sight indeed.

"Come on Kirito! D-Do something!" Sinon yelped and ran faster, "Asuna! Leave my tail alone!"

"I'm… not sure I want to be involved in this," Kirito admitted with a scratch to the back of his head, "given what happened the last time I came near your tail Sinon."

"I don't care!" Sinon yelped again, "Asuna! Eek!"

"Go on Kirito!" One of the others, likely Liz by the sound of her voice, "save Sinon from your loopy girlfriend!"

Kirito hesitated some more, onyx-colored eyes following Sinon and Asuna around the plaza as he hesitated. He knew a way to get Asuna to leave Sinon alone, but it could backfire with the crazy state she was in.

However, when Sinon actually meowed and Asuna managed to grab Sinon's tail and yank her backward, Kirito sighed.

"Fine…" Kirito mumbled and walked toward the now stationary pair, Sinon struggling to get free while Asuna was giggling like mad. "Asuna," he spoke as he walked closer and was surprised to find no response. "Leave the tail alone."

Instead, Asuna seemed to giggle even harder and pushed her cheek against Sinon's fluffy tail.

"Kirito if you don't help me I'll shoot you!" Sinon practically screamed, her face red with embarrassment and rage, "so get your sorry butt over here and help me!"

Kirito gave up keeping his dignity in favor of not being shot in the face by Sinon and hurried over, "Asuna leave it alone." Kirito awkwardly approached Asuna and Sinon and rested one hand on Asuna's head from where she was half crouching with Sinon's tail. "Honey…" He cleared his throat after the pet name, now clearly uncomfortable when the rest of their friends started giggling or laughing at him, "leave it alone."

"Honey?" Klein echoed with a slight cackle of glee, "this is priceless!"

Kirito bowed his head in embarrassment and tried once again to get Asuna to release Sinon with mainly just his words while moving to pull Sinon's tail away from her. "That's Sinon's tail hun, you're bothering her."

"Don't you dare touch my tail Kirito!" Sinon shrieked when Kirito's hand lightly touched her tail as he moved to pull it from Asuna, "you pervert!"

Kirito, his face now red from calling Asuna multiple pet names to break her out of her fluffy tail induced curiosity and their friends' laughter, seized Asuna by the shoulders almost painfully. Asuna's face then was pressed against his collarbones as Kirito tried to wrestle Sinon's tail from her grasp without actually touching the tail.

"No Kito!" Asuna whined and refused to let go of Sinon's tail, "let me go!"

Kirito felt like he was going to die from embarrassment by now, this was the last time he let Asuna near any of those hallucination pixies, and flat out gave up at Sinon's next yell.

"Kirito!" Sinon shrieked before giving a semi pained meow, "Asuna let go of mee!"

Kiro released Asuna's hands and instead, he threaded his fingers in her blue hair just beneath the braid at the back. An unknown weakness in her specifically.

Immediately Asuna looked drowsy and she released Sinon's tail as Kirito gently pulled his fingers through her long blue tresses. The Undine slouched against Kirito and her knees buckled, making Kirito quickly kneel on the ground. She half shut her eyes, making a soft and rather sleepy murmur as she shifted her position to be leaning sideways against Kirito's body.

Kirito noticed vaguely that Sinon hadn't moved away and was sitting on the ground on her tail, staring at him in shock and surprise. However, he had his attention focused on the now mostly asleep Undine in front of him. Now what? He hadn't really thought of what to do after this point. Asuna would be asleep, incredibly hard to wake and he still had to go past their not gobsmacked friends, through a teleport gate and town. While his strength parameter was incredibly high, his dignity and pride were already taking a beating without their friends laughing at him and following him as he teleported and then flew to their cabin on floor twenty-two.

This weakness thought he had found by accident back in SAO, he had been playing with her hair while she talked to Liz at Liz's shop when he had just poked her in the back of the head to playfully whine about how long it took her to actually leave the place.

 _Asuna's amber eyes abruptly glazed and the Vice Commander of the KoB quickly steadied herself against Liz's nearby anvil, like she had just had some kind of dizzy spell. "Kirito_ stop _it," even her voice was laden with sudden sleep, "help me out here Liz…"_

 _Kirito quickly backed off even though Liz just smirked and put her hands on her hips. He didn't want to face a protective Liz in a shop literally full of weapons. "Sorry, what did I do?"_

 _Liz laughed and helped Asuna stand, holding her there while the caramel haired girl wobbled slightly. "You don't know yet? Asuna you didn't tell him?"_

 _"No, and I didn't think I had to," Asuna huffed, her voice was less drowsy now and more alert. "Don't you dare," she warned her friend._

 _Liz ignored her words and with a smirk, lightly tugged her fingers through the hair below Asuna's braid. "Asuna's got a weak spot," the blacksmith said in a sing-song voice as Asuna's knees buckled and she lurched forward before Liz caught her with a laugh. "It has gotta be the dumbest weak spot ever, but she's really sensitive at the back of her head just below the braid. If she hits the back of her head she's fine, but if something pulls through it like someone's hand then she kinda seems to just pass out."_

 _"I hate you_ Liz _," Asuna mumbled before her knees gave out completely and her eyes shut._

Kirito didn't really know anything about it beyond that it was in-game and in real life. Asuna kinda just instantly relaxed to the point where she would just pass out, asleep. He rarely took advantage of it though, only in situations like this where she literally out of her mind crazy or too sleep deprived.


	2. Guilded Hero Alt Ending (Sugo's ALO)

_Guilded Hero Alt: Kirito Doesn't Kill Sugou_

 _ **Sword Art Online: Guilded Hero**_

(S1: Ep24 Anime, English Dub)

"As for you…" Sugou half purred like a crazy cat.

"Stop it…!" Kirito snarled through the pain of his sword having been impaled in his back, "Sugou!..." Nobody had the right to treat Asuna like a toy, to humiliate and scar her like this. It wasn't fair, he had breached a nonplayer zone, finally located Asuna, and now had to watch Sugou do this to the girl he had married in SAO and loved with his whole being.

"It's okay Kirito," Asuna trembled slightly from her fear and disgust but spoke clearly, "whatever he does he's not really hurting me."

Sugou laughed, and Asuna narrowed her eyes at him, "I was hoping you'd say that, but I wonder how long your pride's going to last. 30 minutes, an hour? Why don't we see how long you can hang onto it!"

Asuna's breath hitched in fear and she gave a frightened yelp, squeezing her eyes shut and trembling harder.

Kirito's anger spiked even higher, Sugou had no right to do this to her, Asuna was his! And that man was ruining both her dignity, and he knew she would never be comfortable in her own skin after something like this. Still, when the red ribbon landed softly in front of him and shattered, his heart wrenched painfully and he reached toward it, eyes fixed on the material as if unable to believe what was happening

"Now that that's out of way, would you like to know what I'm thinking?" Sugou asked as he walked around Asuna, his voice held a hint of insanity. "Once we've had our fun here I'm going to pay a visit to you in the hospital, I'll set up a big monitor and play a recording of this, and we can enjoy ourselves all over again. But this time for real."

Asuna gave a frightened gasp, her body trembling harder in fear while her eyes were wide and scared.

"Sugou!" Kirito struggled against the sword pinning him to the ground, the look in Asuna's eyes made his blood boil toward Sugou, that man was a dead man. "I'll kill you!" He shouted, "I'll kill you!"

Sugou laughed like a madman and took Asuna's chin in one hand, making her whimper in fear and squeeze her eyes shut in the process. He then licked away her welling tears with a smirk that made Kirito want to strangle him even if it was just a vr world. "Yummy," he cackled mainly for Kirito's benefit, "so sweet…"

"I'll kill you, you hear?!" The teenager howled like the world was breaking at the seams, he would've rather fought Kyaba than watch and deal with Asuna going through this. And being helpless to Asuna being in the hands of this terrible man. The world hated him, all he wanted was to go back to Aincrad, get married again, and live with Asuna in their little house away from the rest of the world who wanted to pull them apart, and he was never going to get it. "I'm gonna kill you!" He struggled even harder, tears welling in his dark colored eyes as he was forced to watch Asuna get roughly forced into a kiss with Sugou, his vision blurring like he was going to pass out. He could hear Asuna's frightened whimpers and the now occasional cry or sob as she struggled with the chains and tried to get away from Sugou. But Kirito couldn't stop it… He was helpless. He felt dizzy, and when his head hit the ground his vision went white."

 _Why is this happening? Am I being punished for thinking I'm some kind of hero? For thinking that I was the only one able to save Asuna? For thinking that I'm strong enough when I'm not."_ His silver eyes were now glazed with tears, vision blurry with his ears ringing with Asuna's fearful whimpers and scared cries.

 _ **Are you giving up?**_ A rather mysterious voice

 _No, I'm facing reality._ Kirito shut his eyes and just let himself cry for a few moments, feeling completely hopeless and like he couldn't save Asuna

 _ **So you are giving up. To the power of a system you once defied.**_

 _What choice do I have? I'm just a player, and he's the GM._

 _ **So our battle was what, a joke? Do you remember how you showed me the power of the human will was superior to the system? How you showed me the possibilities of the future? That girl saved your life, she defied the system with the strength of her will and her love for you. Are you going to just lay there and watch or are you going to get up and save her?**_

 _I can't help her, I've tried, for days I've tried to reach her and now it's all fruitless._

 _ **Asuna left the Knight of the Blood Oath in SAO to pursue, you Kirito. She defied a paralysis effect to save your life in a fight against me and needs you to be her hero.**_

Kirito said nothing, he only half opened his eyes and looked blankly into the white of his vision, his eyes stinging with his tears.

 _ **I did not duel with you to keep that girl in gild to find you giving up when she needs you the most. I did not allow you two to escape the guild for two weeks to make her happy to see this happen to her.**_

Kirito jolted, there was only one person who knew about all those things, _You're…_

 _ **Get up Kirito! Get up!**_

Kirito's onyx colored eyes flashed open and immediately he was filled with rage at the sound of cloth tearing and Asuna giving a short whimper of fear. His blood was boiling, Asuna's ankle length skirt was now only knee length, and Kirito was done lying there waiting for this to end. "Your attacks are weak!" He forced himself to his hands and knees, forcing the pain away as he moved further up his sword blade, "the blades in SAO hit way harder, and they hurt way more!" He yelled as he finally stood up. The sword blade in his stomach and back slid back and fell to the ground, leaving Kirito with a severely aching abdomen but now free to be the Guilded Hero and finally save Asuna.

"Unbelievable, I've got a few bugs left to deal with." Sugou sighed, stood up, and walked over to Kirito before he swung an arm in a sideswipe fashion. Only to be shocked and startled when Kirito caught it

"System login ID Heathcliff," Kirito growled, and gave Sugou a deadly glare, this man had no power over him, never had and never will. Kirito controlled his own power and what he could do with it.

"Wha-what? Who's ID are you using?!" Sugou looked dumbfounded and stumbled back, his jaw gaping slightly.

"System command, enable Administrator Privileges. Set ID Oberon to level 1." Kirito said, his gaze still deadly and serious.

"An ID that outranks mine?! That's impossible! This is my world! I'm its creator! I'm its ruler! It's King! It's god!" Sugou yelled turning slightly to glare furiously at the area around them

"No, I don't think so. You stole everything in this world. Everything, including its people! You're nothing but a king of thieves sitting alone on your stolen throne!"

"You little punk!-"

Sugou was cut off by a rather loud explosion like someone else had made it into the area.

"Kirito!" Leafa yelled and the blonde flew down to knock Sugou down to the ground with a good kick to the back of the head with her brown boots and landed on the now magic free ground. "Thank goodness I made it!"

At the sight of his younger sister and another player Kirito's mind quickly switched gears. Revenge wasn't the priority anymore, protecting Asuna and preserving the rest of her pride and confidence was. He scrambled, half clumsily at first as his brain completely switched gears, over to Asuna, standing in front of her with his back to her to protect her from any more humiliation. "Don't turn around!" He snarled at his sister as he abruptly scrolled through his inventory and looked for an object, anything to protect Asuna. He found a familiar red hooded cloak hidden deep in his item storage and gently pulled it around Asuna's trembling shoulders before he clasped the slim clasps and the fabric settled properly around Asuna's slim frame, the fabric hiding what Sugou had been doing to her. The cloak was an item Yui had brought with her into ALO, it was a red cloak Kirito had first met Asna in but modified. It was longer, had a small white cross for the KoB in one corner, and clasped under her arms as well as in the front. He heard his sister violently kick Sugou now partially understanding what was going on, but at the moment couldn't care less as he gently held Asuna's tear-streaked face in his hands. "Think you can wait a little longer?" He asked her gently, and one thumb brushed tears from her beautiful amber eyes, "it'll only take a minute."

"How dare you do this to my big brother!" Leafa was yelling while kicking the man with all of her character's strength. Sugou was steadily sliding toward the end of the glass like area they were all on, and Leafa seemed to only care about beating the crap out of him.

Asuna looked like she wanted to say something about escaping now instead of waiting, but understood his need to get back at him and just nodded. She slouched against her chains, her fingers curling slightly as she relaxed and watched him, leaning into his touch in the process.

"I promise it won't take long," Kirito murmured and brushed his lips over her forehead before he let her go and turned around to face Leafa and Sugou. He was even angrier at the sound of the chains rustling slightly as Asuna relaxed, chains. Sugou put her in chains.. Sugou had chained up his significant other, made her suffer for months in another online game alone, planned on marrying her at the end of this week without her permission, and humiliated her and more. Fury bubbled up in Kirito's stomach

"Come on Kazuto!" Leafa exclaimed to her brother and pulled out her thin sword, "let's finish him!"

Kirito's dark eyes seemed to become hooded and even darker as he uttered words, wanting to make Sugou feel the pain he put Asuna through. "System command… lower pain absorber to zero."

Sugou got up to his hands and knees and looked fearfully at the teenager, the pain would actually physically damage them if they took any damage. "No, not that…"

"You tried to keep Asuna here, away from me and the rest of the world," Kirito said in a rather dead tone as he advanced toward them. "You stole her, captured her, and caged her for months," Kirito's hands curled into fists, "you chained her, humiliated her, rid her of her dignity, and you have the indecency to grovel?" He reached his massive sword, his feet inches from the sword's handle, "You stole her from me!" This was his breaking point. Sugou had crossed many, many lines and now with Asuna chained and finally in his sight, he was done with this man, he had hurt Asuna over and over again, and now he was ending it. He stomped on the end of his sword handle and it flew through the air, spinning end over end before he caught it upside down and pointed it perfectly at Sugou. He was trembling with rage and almost forgot his sister was actually there as he grasped a handful of Sugou's cloak and hauled the GM to his knees before leveling his sword at him.

Leafa looked a little hesitant, "Kirito…"

Kirito raised his sword high above his head, "you have no idea what he's done!" Tears gathered in his onyx colored eyes, "I thought Asuna was dead!" He snarled, "for weeks I had no info on her and the last time I truly saw her I saw her be killed in SAO! And I found out she was trapped in yet another game waiting for me to save her!"

"Onii-chan," Sugu spoke softly to her cousin and big brother, "don't…"  
Kirito hesitated and his arms shook, this man had done horrible things to many people, and he wanted to get his revenge for everything, but what about Asuna? He didn't want to have her opinion of him change because he did like this

"No daddy!" Yui suddenly appeared, Sugou's hold on her having vanished at Kirito taking control of the system, "Don't!" The pixie transformed into her girl form and ran at her adopted father before hugging him around the waist and burying her face in his chest, "don't do it!"

"He hurt mommy," Kirito said, his voice shaking, "he kept her from us Yui."

"But we can go home now!" Yui whimpered, "mama's here and her log out is accessible now!"

Kirito felt his sister's hand on his shoulder and let his blade fall to the ground before he turned away from Sugou. He then strode back to Asuna and fell to his knees with a bowed head as the chains vanished and the caramel haired girl's knees buckled making her drop to the ground. "I'm sorry," he murmured and hid his face in her shoulder, "I'm so sorry…"

Asuna's amber eyes flickered up to Sugu and for a moment the two held their gaze before Asuna shut her eyes and leaned exhaustively against Kirito, resting her hands on his chest. "I'm finally going back," she murmured in his ear, her head drooping. "Its okay," her voice was beginning to slur, she was beyond exhausted now, and honestly was about to fall asleep on the spot.

Sugu softly touched her brother's shoulder, "Kirito, she's going to fall asleep," she said quietly, noticing the drowsiness and the slurring of her brother's significant other. "If you want to visit her before she's asleep you're gonna want to hurry. She lightly chuckled, smiling at Asuna. "I'll remind mom that we're at the hospital already… Suddenly Kirito got an alert and she gasped, "someone's trying to take off your Amosphere!"


	3. Lambent Light Returns… (ALO)

_Lambent Light Returns…_

 _ **ALheim (ALO)**_

" _ **How About You? I mean, you come off like you've been playing VRMMOs for forever."**_

" _ **What? Well, I play this one a lot…"**_

Asuna was startled at Yuki's question and for a moment her currently bright blue eyes widened, did she really come off like that? In all technicalities she had been inside virtual reality for two-and-a-half years until together she and Kirito had defeated Sword Art Online, Kirito had saved her from Sugou, and she had finally returned to the real world.

She hadn't thought much about how other players saw her skill level all that much and hearing this surprised her. While it was technically impossible for someone's mouth to run dry in vr Asuna felt like her's did, what was she supposed to say? They would treat her differently if they knew she was a SAO survivor, and even just thinking about SAO made her heart ache. While she had hated the ill effects of the game it was where she truly belonged, a swordswoman called "the Lighting Flash" married to Kirito with their daughter Yui. Her mother's words last month were still bothering her and rang periodically through her ears, reminding her how separated and lost she felt in the real world.

When Yuki looked at her funny Asuna hastened to answer, "What?" She said hastily feigning surprise, "well I play this one a lot. You wouldn't believe how many hours it took to get the money to buy this cabin."

Yuki and Siune didn't look convinced, but Jun, with his mouth full, answered. "Totally worth it!"

Asuna averted her gaze under Yuki's piercing and Siune's gently curious gazes and shifted her weight slightly, her thick bangs sweeping down and partially hiding one of her eyes. She didn't want to tell them, but she knew it was going to make them think she had something to hide. _I wish Kirito was here..._ He always made her feel stronger and more confident at times like these.

Everyone had fallen silent, Jun and Tecchi had even paused eating, at their leader's silence. Clearly now a little unnerved.

To put their unease at rest Asuna sighed and lifted her head to look at Yuki. Her hands were already clasped in her lap, but her naturally pale skin went white around the knuckles as she spoke. "The worst VRMMO I've ever played is called Sword Art Online."

There was a thunk of Talken's glass and Jun and Tecchi's food and drink dropping to the hardwood floor where the liquids splashed over Asuna's creamy carpet before the items shimmered and broke into golden triangles and vanished.

Asuna inwardly cringed, if that had been in the real world she might have died right then and there, but it wasn't. This was ALO and it would only take a second or two to fix the mess once they were done staring at her.

Nori's piercing purple eyes were filled with a shock like the rest of them and the damage dealer spoke in a partially hoarse voice, "y-you're an SAO survivor?"

"Yes," Asuna said quietly, "with the same in-game name." She lifted her slightly trembling chin into a more proud and confident position, "Vice Commander of the KoB and nicknamed Lightning Flash."

"You're _that_ Asuna?" Yuki breathed, staring at her in even more shock. "Then how come I beat you in that duel?"

Asuna shrugged, "it's been a year since I had my original rapier, I play as both a healer and a damage dealer so my stats aren't the same." She smiled weakly, "you're better than me here and I have no problem admitting it."

Yuki adopted a rather annoyed expression and stood up before she swiped her right hand and manipulated her menu. "Then duel with me with this." A blue and silver sheathed rapier shimmered into existence and Yuki tossed it to Asuna. Who's jaw dropped as she caught it.

It wasn't supposed to be in ALO… It vanished in SAO just like everything else. "Where did you get this?"

Yuki folded her arms, "after that guy beat the original king all the players online received at least one piece of gear. I got this one from a player who couldn't get rid of it fast enough. Just duel me with it."

Asuna slowly grasped the handle and the sheath and pulled on the sword, pulling the handcrafted blade from it's red protective sheath. The jewel in the center of the rapier's crossbar shined a dark blue and shined in the cabin's lights, the elegantly designed blue and silver metal of the rapier she had fought thousands of monsters and at least seventy-five bosses with gleamed dangerously.

"Why Asuna, do you recognize it?" Suine asked curiously, tilting her head and studying the female Undine's face.

Asuna pulled the blade the rest of the way out of the sheath and stared at it, "it… it's called Lambent Light." She looked up at Yuki, "it's my SAO sword, but everything in SAO is supposed to be gone..."


	4. Liz Is Loyal On Top of Everything (ALO)

_Liz's Loyal On Top of Everything_

 _ **ALheim (ALO)**_

Asuna and Kirito could be faintly seen atop one of the large mushrooms, Asuna casually sitting between Kirito's legs while leaning back against one of his knees with her eyes closed and her head tilted up toward the sun. They looked as stuck in their own world as usual.

"They're so into each other…" Silica chirped with faint amusement.

"It's not fair darn it." Liz grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest

"Now now," Leafa chuckled with a roll of her eyes.

"Doesn't matter if they're at school or here, they can't keep their hands off each other." Liz huffed irritably.

"Ugh, you mean they're like this at school too?" Leafa asked half gawking.

"All day every day." Silica chirped.

"Although usually not to this extent, they usually aren't this casual with each other at school." Liz sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, "I guess it's because they were you know, married in SAO."

Leafa tilted her head as she sat down on the grass, sitting side saddle as they waited for the monsters to respawn. "How long were they married in game?"

Liz plopped down on the grass as well, followed by Silica, "nobody really knows the exact date the two got married since all everyone knows is that Kirito was almost killed by a traitor in the KoB and then they vanished from their guild for two weeks. But Asuna had spent the majority of the two years dividing her time between grinding XP, working for her guild, and developing a relationship with Kirito." She snorted and rolled her eyes, "Kirito's rumored expression when he actually saw Asuna for the first time was awe and being dumbfounded."

Leafa blinked, "Kirito told me he met Asuna during a meeting for the first boss, so was he shocked there?"

Silica giggled and shook her head, "nuh uh, Asuna supposedly used to wear a hooded cloak everywhere to keep attention away from her."

"Asuna's infamous cloak caught an attack from the first-floor boss," Liz smirked, unable to help a smirk at the topic, her best friend really was strange, plus she had a lot of fun talking about or teasing Kirito. "During the fight she narrowly dodged an attack, leaving her cloak to shatter into a million pieces and revealing her face and hair."

Silica giggled, "even Liz knows that Asuna's the only girl he'll ever love like he loves her." Silica smiled at her friend in a goofy manner, "even if she still has a crush on him."

Liz harrumphed and crossed her arms over her chest, "anyway, Kirito had adopted this funny looking awed expression while Asuna still had the sparkling shards of her cloak around her or whatever. But back to the original question," she put a finger to her chin in thought. "I think it was some time in October because they didn't go to me to fix their weapons after Kirito was nearly killed and I couldn't find Asuna at her place in Selmburg when I went to check on her."

Liz looked up at Asuna and Kirito and sighed softly, she really didn't have much of a chance against Asuna now did she? First impressions were everything, and Kirito had met Asuna during a boss raid and first got a good look at her while she was charging a boss sword first and nearly surrounded with the fading shards of her cloak. Liz's irises change color to a green and yellow shade as she used a sensory skill to properly see Asuna and Kirito through the mushroom they were on. At the moment they were quiet and peaceful, Yui chasing a butterfly of sorts in her human form, Kirito laying on his back with Asuna sitting between his legs. Her friendship with Asuna was worth more than her crush on Kirito, but Liz still felt the occasional bout of jealousy toward her friend. She wanted a guy that would travel VR worlds to save her too, someone with that amount of loyalty and love. She blinked when a message blinked on her screen in front of her face.

It was from Asuna, _Something wrong?_

 _Not really, why?_ Liz quickly responded while Silica and Leafa were talking to each other.

 _Kirito can feel your sensory skill…_

 _Oh._ Liz noticed Asuna stand up and move to get off of the large mushroom and hastily typed another message, _you don't have to get up, just musing about the past, that's all._

 _Is it about Kirito?_ Asuna responded but Liz saw her sit down next to Kirito on her knees, making more space between them and easing Liz's jealousy to a trickle.

Liz hesitated, she could lie and brush it off, or tell her friend the truth, _we were talking about his rumored reaction to you losing your cloak and hood in that boss fight._ Her fingers hesitated on the holographic keyboard before she gave a soft sigh and added on another piece, _Asuna enjoy yourself with him, he's here, your parents aren't, and if rumors are true he's converting games right?_

 _Yeah, not happy about it but yeah._

 _Then go on, lay in the grass and take a nap Lightning Flash,_ Liz playfully called Asuna by her nickname in SAO, _He's leaving in what, twenty minutes? You can just join us after he leaves._

 _Thx Liz, I owe you, again._

"Liz?" Liz blinked and looked over at Leafa who had called her name, "you're acting just as spacy as Asuna."

Liz rolled her pink colored eyes, "well I was talking to her, maybe her spaciness is rubbing off on me." She gazed at the mushroom again, only to see Asuna take her advice and actually lay down on the mushroom next to Kirito. By the way a moment later Liz saw Kirito playing with Asuna's hair Asuna was already asleep. Liz's vision returned to normal when she blinked once more and leaned back on her arms, half closing her eyes.


	5. Memory Lane, Liz's Question(SAO and IRL)

_**Reviews**_

 _ **~K2-Black-Panther~  
**_

(Reply to Chapter 1)  
 _I stumbled across it and really wanted to take my own spin on it, hence the loopy Asuna_  
(Reply to Chapter 2)  
 _Well technically Kirito wasn't stabbed when Leafa entered, but I plan on writing another version where Leafa's there the whole time and helps Kirito with him :P Thanks for the compliment! I noticed there weren't a lot of SAO stories and I've been writing fanfictions so I thought 'why not?'  
_ (Reply to Chapter 3)  
 _I love Lambent Light too, and that episode of the anime was honestly disappointing for me, Yuki's good, but Asuna has three years of VR experience under her belt and her SAO stats so... Don't get me wrong I love Yuki but I just wish the duel was more even. I think it was the perfect point to further develop Asuna as a character  
_ (Reply to Chapter 4)  
 _Yes, I do take requests. Do I promise they'll get done? No, but I am working on yours right now, my Netflix is throwing a fit so I have to fix that but I intend to finish it today or tomorrow (Btw I love the idea, but I will be putting a spin on it, I'm not a Sinon x Kirito shipper so it's more of siblings comforting each other)_

 ** _~quidditchChick6~_**

 _Yay! I'm glad you enjoyed them, I'm enjoying the freedom of just writing these when I please. Chapter 3? I think I need to expand on that one and write the duel that happens after that conversation. However, it'll probably follow my modified timeline which will be listed and explained in the next chapter_

* * *

 _Memory Lane… Liz's Question_

" **Auh, that's the sweetest thing I've ever heard! So, how far did you guys go, huh? I know it was in game but you were married so, did you? Or** _ **did**_ **you?" ~Liz in SAO Extra Edition Special**

* * *

 _ **Now don't think I'm writing anything crazy here, it's mainly just flashbacks of Asuna's time with Kirito within SAO within my modified timeline that I'll be uploading soon :P**_

 _ **All you guys need to know for this one is that the AU series is called "SAO Extended Edition," SAO lasted 3 years, Nov. 6, 2022 - Nov. 7, 2025, Yui joined them just under two years into the game, and was deleted by the system Sept. 23, 2025, after a previous failed attempt, just over a month before the game ended.**_

* * *

Asuna looked like a deer caught in the headlights for a moment, her hands held up in surrendering position from shock and her eyes wider than golf balls. Making her seem even more guilty was the red now staining her light-skinned cheeks a vibrant pink from her embarrassment at the question.

Liz's jaw dropped, "wait, seriously, Asuna?" She gawked at the thoroughly embarrassed caramel haired girl, then laughed, despite the annoyance welling from her own crush on Kirito, "no way!"

Asuna quickly spluttered, "nothing!" She hastily waved her hands, "I mean we didn't! I mean we didn't do anything! Her face was even redder now though, "Nothing like that!"

Liz narrowed her eyes and huffed, "your red face is telling a different story Asuna."

Asuna blushed harder and in a nervous habit, tugged lightly on her long hair. "It-It's not like that I swear! We weren't like that!"

"Oh yeah? Then what did you do?" Liz asked with a faint smirk, she enjoyed teasing Asuna waay too much, even though she liked the guy Asuna was in a relationship with, teasing Asuna was priceless when even just one sentence could make her redder than a tomato.

Asuna averted her amber gaze and fidgeted a bit. She was biting her lower lip and looking out at the school out of the corner of her eye like she was a little worried about what Kirito would think once she told them. Or she was just hesitant to tell them anything. Or both.

Liz poked her, "Asuna…"

Asuna blushed harder and lifted her hands again in an 'okay, okay' reaction before she a little awkwardly put them in her lap and shrugged lightly as if to dismiss her bright red face. At the rather annoyed look on Sugu's expression, she hastened to explain, "nothing that Liz's hinting at I promise." She felt bad giving the girls a lie, but she didn't have enough courage to even just agree with Liz and go quiet.

Asuna had been married to Kirito for just over a year, and at that point, everyone had sorta just adjusted to living inside the game. Including them despite their jobs on the front lines. And for someone as easily embarrassed at Asuna was, she would rather die than tell them anything of the subject and die of embarrassment. "Erm, we…" she was struggling to get the words out. "We've kissed-"

"Nothing new," Liz snorted, she had an uncanny ability to interrupt Asuna and Kirito both ingame and irl when they were about to or were kissing and it annoyed her to no end. "Come on Asuna, something we don't see _all the time!_ "

Asuna flung her hands up in exasperation, her face now even redder, "W-What do you want me to say?! We haven't changed what we do all that much!"

Liz scowled, "you guys were married for an entire year and all you two do is the all-over-each-other-ness?"

Asuna's blush darkened and she quickly brushed the cobwebs of memories away before she actually zoned out, "Liz, we're s-still teenagers…"

"Hmph," Liz crossed her arms over her chest, "you two act like your twenty for something."

"We were in the assault team," Asuna also pointed out, willing her blush to fade and hoping it was working, "we didn't get much time outside of the battles-"

"Total Bull!" Liz interrupted, "you guys had two weeks of no battles and were only actually up on the front lines every other day after that! That's a poor excuse Asuna!"

Asuna then knew what Liz was gonna say before the next words that came out of her mouth and lunged to cover Liz's mouth. "L-Liz!" Asuna's face turned red all over again.

Liz dodged her however and just grinned and opened her mouth to say something about some kind of picture, but Sugu stopped her.

"Hey! Kirito's still my brother!" Sugu waved her arms wildly, her face now very pink, "I don't want to hear it!"

"We didn't do anything!" Asuna almost half wailed, okay now it was getting too close to sensitive topics Asuna didn't want to think about, and scrambled up to her feet. "Nothing I swear! L-let's just go back to practicing!" Despite her haste, Asuna was a little visibly unfocused, lost in her own memories of what she and Kirito had once and wouldn't have ever again if her mother had any choice about it. _It was honestly the best year of my life,_ Asuna thought as the others stood up as well, Liz laughing heartily at Asuna's embarrassment, _Kirito means the world to me…_

* * *

 _The rhythmic creaking of the rocking chair was beginning to make Asuna teeter on the brink of falling asleep. She was at home in her and Kirito's little cabin on floor twenty-two, with the sun setting, it's sleepy rays softly kissing her light colored skin. She was wearing the outfit Kirito had seen her wear at her place in Selmburg, a white off shoulder short sleeve that had seafoam green sleeves with red ties up the sides, a white band that created the neckline and had two small red buttons, a loose white fabric for the rest of the shirt with it cinched at the waist with a thin red ribbon that tied in the back; paired with a short denim skirt. Her brown ankle boots were lying next to the front door, having decided to put them there instead of putting them in her inventory, finding it to feel more normal doing that than making them disappear._

 _Kirito was sitting next to her, one arm curled gently around her slim shoulders while the other hand was holding a book that by reading would raise his dexterity skill a level. He was wearing black clothes like usual, black pants with a short sleeve black shirt that had a thin silver zipper on the upper chest for a thin pocket he didn't actually keep anything in, and currently black socks, his shoes were discarded next to Asuna's. His sword Elucidator was propped up against the porch railing, it's dark metal glinting slightly in the setting sun in case of monsters._

 _Their daughter Yui was chasing a butterfly, the AI happily content with romping around in the grass while her parents relaxed. Asuna and Kirito had gotten back from a battle just over an hour ago and it had been a particularly tense one, leaving them both just a little shaken and more than exhausted. Asuna in particular. She didn't have as high of a stamina stat as Kirito and had been drawing its attacks due to her high agility and speed allowing her to take minimum damage when compared to other players._

 _Asuna felt Kirito's lip brush her temple as her head bobbed from sleep pulling on her body. She could always use a stamina crystal to replenish her energy, but it was evening now, and she was home with her little family._

 _The warmth of Kirito's body next to her didn't help her drooping eyes to stay open to watch their daughter play, and she had been fighting the exhaustion for at least ten minutes. She had used the last of her energy reserves to give Yui a bath, the AI had fallen into a major puddle of mud from last night's rain, make dinner for the three of them, and sorted through the items they had received from today's boss battle. After that Kirito had suggested taking Yui outside and letting Asuna sit back and relax, to which Asuna had agreed to nearly right away._

" _Go to sleep," Asuna heard Kirito whisper softly in her ear, his breath lightly tickling her skin. "You're exhausted."_

 _Asuna mumbled something about how she wasn't tired but let her head rest against his shoulder and let her tired muscles loosen and relax. "Wake me up when Yui wants to go inside," she mumbled but wasn't sure if it even came out properly, too tired to care._

" _Uh huh," Kirito's arm slid down to her waist and he tugged her a little closer, letting Asuna rest more comfortably against him. "G'night Asua."_

 _Asuna's eyes finally closed and didn't open again, now asleep._

* * *

Asuna's amber gaze gazed distantly out at the pool she was now sitting at the edge of, feet and ankles dangling in the water. She was waiting for Sugu to cross the pool to reach her, lost in her memories of SAO and her life with Kirito. Her expression was soft, distant but peaceful and by her expression alone anyone could've seen exactly how much she loved Kirito. He had changed her, given her something to live for during SAO and something to look forward to in her life in the real world.

Asuna lifted her head toward the sun shut her eyes, letting its warmth bask over her face and subconsciously comparing it to SAO's virtual sun. It felt so much different, strange even without being in a virtual world, strange after three years of being stuck in a video. Some days when she actually admitted it to herself, she wanted to go back to SAO on some level. Not so much to the death game itself but back to her and Kirito's cabin with Kirito and Yui and where she could be what she was deep in her heart.

* * *

 _Asuna squealed as abruptly her vision turned upside down when Kirito charged at her and scooped her up like a sack of potatoes. "Kirito!" She squealed, "put me down!" She only half-heartedly asked, not minding all that much as shown by the laughter bubbling in her voice. "What if you wake up Yui?"_

" _She's fine," Kirito dismissed her giggling worries as he exited the cabin and darted toward the grass beyond the porch. "If she's not asleep after that lullaby then she doesn't sleep."_

 _Asuna giggled, "alright! Alright! But put me down!" She was surprised to find her request granted and landed rather ungracefully on her side on the grass. "Hey!" She complained before the word turned to laughter as Kirito dropped down onto the grass and tickled her sides._

 _Asuna jerked away with a laugh and pushed against his face to push him away, today had had Asuna laughing so hard her stomach hurt, even though she was in a virtual world. It started that morning with Yui having found a setting called "Enable Tickling" buried deep in the settings of the game and asking them what it was. It turned out that even with the setting on Kirito wasn't really ticklish at all while Asuna was ticklish practically everywhere. With the setting on, Asuna's body practically hummed with hidden laughter. Kirito could just poke her in the side and the tsundere dissolved into a fit of giggles. So Kirito had jumped on the opportunity and chased Asuna around with Yui on his shoulders as they tried to catch her and tickle her some more. It was dark now though, with Yui hopefully asleep while Kirito tickled Asuna without their daughter around._

 _Kirito just grinned at her and promptly licked her hand before leaning over._

 _Asuna squealed at him licking her and froze for half a second when he pushed her shirt part way up her stomach, and then laughed louder than she had laughed all day._

 _Kirito blew another raspberry against Asuna's skin, his onyx colored eyes were softly glowing with love and amusement. He loved Asuna's beautiful laugh, and so this was heaven to his ears._

 _Asuna squirmed and laughed again, almost crying from laughter._

 _For a few more minutes Asuna endured the tickling till she suddenly hiccuped, startling them both at the sharp but rather cute sound. For a moment she froze, looking rather concerned at the sound. "Oops," she said before giving a small and rather muffled hiccup._

 _Kirito however, smiled and moved away from tickling her sides again. Before he leaned over and lightly kissed Asuna, only to have her hiccup halfway through the kiss. He pulled back with a chuckling laugh while Asuna just blushed._

* * *

"Hey, you do know that I was teasing right?" Liz's voice broke Asuna from her memories. Liz's voice was gentle and warm, holding no traces of the jealousy Asuna knew she likely felt.

Asuna blinked and her amber eyes became focused as she brushed the remainder of her memories from her mind and nodded. "Yeah, but only half teasing," she responded to her friend in a tone that held a hint of teasing of her own. She sat up straight and redirected her gaze to eye level.

Liz sat down next to Asuna and smirked, "just like how you lied to Sugu?"

Asuna's cheeks turned red and she leaned away from Liz, gaze fixed firmly on Sugu swimming toward them. "What are you talking about?"

"Asuna, you may be able to lie to Sugu and Silica but there's no way you can lie to me," Liz smirked and lightly nudged her with her elbow. "So give me the real answer," at the look on Asuna's face she added, "I can handle it."

Asuna looked over at her, studying her expression carefully before she blew out a sigh. "I… I can't, it's too embarrassing. And you're still getting over Kirito, it's not fair for me to say anything." She gazed back out at nothing, amber gaze softening at her fond memories.

Liz, however, kept her from getting completely lost in them. "Asuna," her tone was completely serious as she looked at her best friend, "I can handle it. I promise. I would never do anything to make either of you unhappy."

Asuna hesitated at her friend's lack of teasing and swallowed uneasily before she opened her mouth to respond. Only to snap it shut when the small boogie board bumped the pool edge and Sugu stood up.

Liz lost the serious expression and grinned proudly at Sugu, "twenty-five meters! You're doing great!"

Asuna smiled weakly, her smile was a little forced as she struggled to make the blush on her face fade and struggled to calm her beating heart. She knew Liz would ask her again later, and her heart had sped up out of embarrassment and hesitation. She didn't want to keep refusing to answer the question, but she also didn't want to make Liz upset. She didn't really have an out for this question. "Soon you'll be swimming rings around Kirito," Asuna spoke to Sugu, trying to seem as normal as ever despite the memories that had been stirred up by Liz's insistence. So while Liz jumped into the pool to help Sugu with the next step, Asuna leaned back on her arms and briefly shut her eyes.

* * *

 _Asuna was harshly jolted awake by something freezing being pressed against her upper back. Nearly burning her skin at the cold temperature. Kirito's hands. "Aaah!" the rapier-wielding girl floundered, her brain sluggish from the rude awakening, and scooted away from her ingame husband's hands. In her haste, her speed skill activated and she moved too far. Landing on the floor of the bedroom with a yelp and a thump. The blankets were tangled around her slim body, and Asuna didn't lift her cheek from the cool wood, dazed and highly confused. "Good morning to you too," Asuna mumbled and idly brought up her menu to switch her gear._

 _Kirito, however, caught her wrist and crouched down next to her with a slight smile on his face. His nose, cheeks, and ears were pink from the cold like he had been outside for a few hours now. "No need for that," he said in a soft and amused tone, "it's your fault you fell off." When Asuna lifted her head and cracked her eyes open to actually look at him he grinned, "I didn't think you'd react like that." He released her wrist and lifted his hands before breathing into them to warm them up to a proper temperature. He was wearing a black long sleeve shirt and his battling pants and shoes, hinting at having visited a different floor while she was asleep._

 _Asuna squinted at the faint sunlight coming through the window in the room and gave a rare dramatic groan. "It's not even six, we're supposed to be taking a break from the front lines, and your hands are like ice cubes."_

 _Kirito smiled at her and gently brushed one hand up and down her back in a more soothing and apologetic manner. "Sorry, I was helping Liz get that special material again."_

 _Asuna's sleep hazy mind managed to properly understand the words, but the pull of sleep was tugging back on her, making her want to go right back to sleep there on the floor tangled in the blankets. "So you put your hands on my back? How's that fair?"_

 _Kirito lifted his hands again and blew on them, "I was freezing," he complained with twinkling silver eyes. "And you're warm."_

" _If I had my rapier in my hands I would've stabbed you," Asuna grunted before she pushed herself up into a sitting position with her back to him. Thoroughly grumpy. Then her resolve to ignore him melted when he leaned over and scooped her up, lifting the stubborn caramel haired girl up onto the bed before flopping down next to her and pulling some of the blankets for himself. The loving but amused look in Kirito's eyes was enough to make Asuna instead of ignoring him, she just sighed and rolled over to face away from him. Then didn't fight it when Kirito pulled her toward him and tucked his cold nose into her silky caramel colored hair._

" _Good morning-" Kirito properly greeted her in a muffled voice or attempted to till she cut him off._

" _Don't, then it's not morning," Asuna abruptly decided and shut her eyes, refusing to actually get up now. "I'm going back to sleep."_

 _For a few minutes, Asuna didn't get a response, and when she did she barely even heard it, too lulled to sleep by Kirito's steady breathing._

" _I love you Asuna," he said in a voice Asuna barely heard._

" _I love you too," Asuna half slurred in her sleepy mumble of a voice. "Even after that stupid stunt you just pulled dummy."_

 _Kirito's light chuckling was the last thing Asuna heard before she drifted off to sleep._

* * *

Asuna watched Kirito leave with a soft smile and a wave at his sister before she shouldered her bag and looked at Liz. Silica had been picked up by her parents a few moments before Kirito and Sugu left, leaving the pair of best friends alone and to themselves for the most part. "You still hung up on… on the question, you asked me?"

Liz smirked, "come on Asuna, you know I don't leave a question unanswered."

Asuna sighed, steeled her up to actually give her an answer, having to really gather all of her courage to actually give even a one-word answer. Her cheeks were already turning pink, from her rising embarrassment, but she had to give Liz some kind of answer. For a moment she thought, then decided to give Liz an answer, but not one that would get her in trouble with her friend and wouldn't hurt her feelings. "I know…" Asuna took a deep breath, "S-So ask me again, I… I'm ready to answer this time."

Liz nodded and gave another cheeky smirk, "So, how far did you guys go, huh? I know it was in game but you were married so, did you? Or _did_ you?" Liz repeated the question from earlier, half dreading the answer.

Asuna gave Liz a dazzling smile, drawing on the courage she had had as a warrior of SAO. "I'll leave it up to you to decide what we did or didn't do." She answered in a rather mysterious tone and with an unusual kind of answer for her, leaving it up to Liz's imagination. "So I won't confirm or deny anything." Her amber eyes softened, "but I appreciate the spark for my memories." She kept her chin up, "I miss those days."

Liz blinked in surprise before she cracked up and laughed, "good answer Asuna!" She giggled, brown eyes twinkling with amusement, "but one day you'll have to tell me!" She shouted after her when Asuna started running away, likely trying to leave before her courage dissipated. "And I'll tease you till you do!"

Asuna paused for a half a second then kept running, hiding how red her face was now as she blurted out just one word. "Yes." Then she ran even faster with her hands slapped over her mouth, now tomato red and feeling like she was going to die of embarrassment.

* * *

Liz's jaw dropped and she stared after her running friend for a few moments, unable to believe her ears. But she knew what Asuna had said, and oddly enough it didn't hurt her. Instead, it kinda tugged on her heartstrings. Asuna and Kirito had had so much in SAO, but it was worth nothing to the rest of the world, leaving them as teenagers with nothing even close to what they had had. "I'm gonna tease you two even more now!" She laughed to the retreating Asuna, "and you're welcome for the memories!" Sure Asuna and Kirito were together and always would be, that didn't mean she couldn't tease them constantly and be friends with them both. Sure Kirito was always going to be her first love, and possibly the last, but she would never take him away from Asuna. They were too important to each other, even she could admit that.

* * *

 _Liz watched from where she was, watching Asuna shove Kirito into the lake with a laugh where he fell with a splash. Liz was standing little ways down the path, having gotten the location from Argo without too much of a problem. She was holding all three of their weapons, having been doing repairs on them and dismissing them with a wave of her hand to leave and come get them later._

 _Yui was standing beside Liz, curiously studying her brand new mock blade, one that she could play fight with her parents to develop skills and abilities like a player. Liz had been watching Yui for the day after the curious AI had attached herself to Liz's shop and refused to leave._

 _Liz's pink colored eyes hid the pain in her heart near perfectly and showed amusement at Asuna and Kirito's actions. They were both wearing casual gear, Asuna wearing a short-sleeved shirt with a thin ribbon at the waist paired with a knee-length skirt, and Kirito wearing a black long sleeve and black pants. She watched as Kirito resurfaced and went charging after Asuna, flinging water everywhere as he collided into her and knocked them both under the water. Her heart stung painfully when Asuna went and kissed Kirito after they surfaced. Liz could hear Asuna's laughter from where she was standing, and what made her not interrupt their moment was the carefree touch to the sound._

 _Liz sighed, this was the pain she would suffer under to keep her friend and Kirito happy, and she would gladly do it. They were on the front lines, and despite how much it made her heart twist, she had to accept that they needed moments like the one she was witnessing where they both could just relax and unwind._

" _Mommy!" Yui complained when she heard her mother's laughter and found her adopted parents to be kissing, "why you do that to daddy?" She asked and ran down to the lake, the blade in her hands vanishing into her inventory._

 _Liz finally smiled, this moment was priceless. Sure, she would tease Asuna about it one day, but for now, she would settle on a picture of Yui running into the lake and splashing both of her parents to make them break the kiss. "Hey, Asuna!" She called to her friend and lifted her arms, "I have you and Kirito's swords!"_


	6. Argo, Asuna's Honorary Big Sister (SAO)

_**~K2-Black-Panther~**_

 _Ooh, ever read Warriors by Erin Hunter? :D_

 _Yup! I'll be writing a version where Leafa saves Kirito when he's unable to save Asuna :P_

 _Hmm… I may add in Asuna somehow, I'm pretty annoyed by her lack of involvement in most of that series, but I do have a plan for it already! :D (Even though my mom just canceled Netflix -_-) Personally I believe Sinon's just his close friend who teases him like a sibling :P_

 _Hmm… I partway have to disagree :P There are multiple versions of that particular episode in the books and manga and it all conflicts so I have my own personal opinion that Kirito doesn't at that point mainly to preserve Asuna's sense of pride and ethics. It mainly goes along with my extended version of SAO though because Asuna and Kirito are married for a year, they have Yui around for seven months, and Argo's more of a main character :P_

 _ **~quidditchChick6~**_

 _Yay! That means I've got her character down! :D_

 _The Yuki vs. Asuna rematch is on the way already :D I've done all the research (I've analyzed their fighting styles, stances, and sword skills) So it should be up soon!_

* * *

 _ **I love the progressive books! They're soooo good so far and I love how Argo's seen a heck of a lot more and how the relationship between Asuna and Kirito is developing so far! The progressive books have been my latest read in the SOA stuff, that and the manga :D**_

* * *

 _Argo, Asuna's Honorary Big Sister_

Kirito sat there in his backward facing wooden chair and rested his chin on his hands. He was watching Argo, the information broker and secretly practically Asuna's sister, try to soothe the caramel haired girl to sleep. He had tried coaxing Asuna into going to bed for an hour himself and eventually messaged Argo at the heartbroken expression Asuna had continued to give him. Thinking about it made his heart ache with grief, he had guessed Asuna was going to be affected by Yui's disappearance and essentially death but had hoped it wouldn't be this bad. And he couldn't do anything to help, every time he touched her Asuna started crying again and so he had retreated to his chair and contacted Argo, not knowing what to do.

Now Asuna seemed to be asleep, curled up on her side with her head in Argo's lap the sniffling had stopped and she was relatively still. Asuna's hands were clutching the necklace of Yui's heart in both hands, holding the jewelry close to her heart while she seemed to be finally dozing. Kirito couldn't see Asuna's face at the moment so he couldn't tell for sure but he needed to actually discuss what had happened to turn Asuna from a strong warrior to a blubbering mess in all of one day. "I'm sorry Argo-" he tried to apologize before the information broker used all of her agility to cover his mouth with a light shake of her head.

Argo softly shook her head and pointed to Asuna who stirred at the sound of Kirito's voice and lifted her head slightly. Argo then flashed Kirito a dirty look and mouthed a sentence, 'if she wakes up completely and starts to cry again you're going to be SAO's laughing stock Kii-boi!'

However, with no extra noise, Asuna put her head back down and gave a half-asleep mumble, "Argo?" She asked her friend in a barely audible tone. "Is Kirito still here?"

Argo brushed her fingers through Asuna's light-colored hair and spoke in a soothing tone, "yup A-chan, he's making sure you're okay." She gave Kirito a piercing look like she expected him to speak as well and see if Asuna wanted anything from him.

Kirito stood up, the chair creaking slightly as he stood and sat down on the side of the bed where Asuna was facing. "Feeling any better?" He asked quietly but didn't touch her, not wanting to have her start crying again with the knowledge that Argo would give out every little embarrassing detail she had on him.

Asuna's amber eyes were mostly closed and her breathing deepened further at the concern in his voice and the reassurance of him being there next to him. She reached for him and curled her fingers around one of his hands before she pulled his hand toward her and held his hand and Yui's heart close to her chest. Once she had done that her eyes closed completely and a moment later she seemed to go back to her earlier doze.

Argo scratched the top of her head and yawned after Asuna's eyes closed and idly scratched at the painted whiskers on her face while she waited for confirmation that Asuna was actually asleep and wouldn't wake up to her and Kirito talking. She had literally no idea what was going on besides the fact that Asuna's expression when she first arrived had been one of grief, Asuna had been holding a tiny game object close to her heart and Yui wasn't there. Something was really wrong if Asuna, the Lightning Flash, was this torn up over something to the point where being around Kirito just made her cry…

Argo straightened up out of her lazy slouch and narrowed her sharp green eyes at Kirito. If that oaf had something to A-chan once again, she was going to break her rule of making people pay for information and just give out as much embarrassing info she had stored up for blackmail. That or she would haunt him till the day he died. Of which she hoped was outside of SAO despite how much it felt like home now. Nearing three years in SAO, Argo oftentimes had to remind herself that she wasn't born here, she was trapped in a video game, and that people's lives were on the line all the time.

Kirito seemed to understand the words behind her glare and he violently shook his head and raised his free hand to emphasize his point. 'It wasn't me!'

Argo relaxed back into her earlier slouch but still frowned at Kirito for a few moments while one of her hands were gently stroking Asuna's long hair. Argo mulled over what she knew and blinked, why hadn't she seen it earlier? Her green eyes lost the narrowed glare and instead looked more worried, Yui wasn't there. Yui wasn't there with Asuna and Kirito, it was dark now, and Asuna had looked like she was grieving over something or other. "It's about Yui isn't it," Argo said once she noticed that Asuna hadn't even twitched when she moved Asuna's head to a different spot so her leg wouldn't fall asleep. Including the sensation of a limb falling asleep? Who exactly decided to put that particular feature into SAO?

Kirito's onyx colored eyes were on Asuna as he spoke, looking for any signs of her being awake when he spoke. "Yeah… Yui," he paused, "Yui's gone."

Argo's heart clenched but her facial expression only twitched, "She's an AI Kirito. AI's like NPCs respawn." She replied blandly as she tried to wrap her head around the idea that the little girl was gone, just poof, vanished. Yui had practically been Argo's niece with how close Argo was to Kirito and Asuna

"Unless they're deleted by the system," Kirito said quietly and Argo's eyes widened.

 _Deleted by the system?_

"Yui saved Asuna and I by accessing the system… again." Kirito's free hand clenched into a fist around the sheets of the bed and tears welled in his eyes. "She helped us by deleting the boss trapped under the town of beginnings who was supposed to be on floor 95 after Asuna took a critical amount of damage."

Argo's green eyes gazed quietly at Kirito for a moment before her gaze dropped to Asuna, who was now asleep. Finally. "That's why Asuna's so…" Her voice wavered and died as she looked at the person who was like her younger sister. Even asleep Asuna looked rather upset, while the grief had mostly faded from her face her forehead was wrinkled slightly, her lips were parted but tugging downward into a frown, her eyebrows were slightly furrowed in distress, and there were tear tracks on her face. When under a massive amount of stress or emotion and a player cried, the tracks would remain on their faces until either the drying effect kicked in after the delayed thirty minutes and or they wiped it from their face.

"Heartbroken?" Kirito suggested when Argo's voice failed, "we lost our daughter. The only thing left of her is the tiny gameobject in Asuna's hands."

"You mean…" Argo looked back up at him, eyes rather wide with surprise.

Kirito visibly swallowed hard, fighting tears himself, "the crystal in Asuna's hands is Yui's heart." The tears threatened to escape as he continued in a rather thick voice, "it was all I could do. Asuna and I's daughter is gone with nothing but her heart left in our hands." Kirito quickly ducked his head as a few small tear droplets dropped onto the bed, leaving round wet spots. Kirito let his bangs hide his face, but couldn't hide the occasional falling tear.

Argo looked at him and the information broker's expression broke into a miserable but understanding one at the look on his face. Moving Asuna's head and tucking a pillow beneath her head she freed her legs and stood up. Going over to the black swordsman she pulled him into a sisterly embrace, silently holding Kirito and refusing to let go even at his small movements to push her away.

"Yui's your daughter too," Argo said eventually in a low and hushed voice, "it's not wrong to grieve Kirito." She used his real name to portray her seriousness and felt him bury his head in her blonde curls near her neck with a choked cry.

* * *

Argo sat in the wooden chair Kirito had been sitting in earlier, her legs drawn up near her chest as she rested her arms across her knees and studied the pair for a short distance. Kirito was facing away from her with his head in his hands, hunched over and likely trying to get ahold of his composure. Asuna was still asleep, the swordswoman hadn't moved much more than an inch since Argo had managed to calm her down enough to sleep. She had helped them both so much over the past three years that they were family, Asuna was like her little sister and Kirito was the oftentimes irritating brother-in-law. Losing Yui shouldn't hurt this much, it's not like Yui was her daughter, and nor was she her little sister.

Argo briefly shut her eyes to push away memories and reopened them to find Kirito gently stroking Asuna's caramel colored hair while rubbing strongly at his eyes. "She'll be fine soon Kirito," Argo said quietly and no doubt startled Kirito by the way he jumped a mile. "Asuna's raised Yui alongside you for more than half a year now, and while I know you're inwardly just as hurt about it, but…"

"I know," Kirito said in a thick voice, "It's different for Asuna."

Argo gave a small smile and shook her head, "no it's just harder to get over. Give her time Kii-boi." She nodded toward the sleeping girl, "and give A-chan all your love for the next few days."

* * *

 _ **This was rather refreshing to experiment with a character that not much is known about, I'm mainly going off of what I've seen in the Progressive books and manga with a few pieces of what I saw or read about her in the anime and in the original books and side stories. Let me know if you think I did okay portraying Argo outside of her information broker attitude!**_


	7. Back In The Real World… Wheelchair Race!

_**~K2-Black-panther~**_

 _Hmm… I'll probably release a story of Asuna and Kirito's time in the Extended Edition eventually, then we'll see if they did or not… Warriors is awesome! It's an entire series centered around cats! Yeah she did, so I have to do more work for chapters involving dialogue from the anime -_-_

 _Silica is totally his little sister, personally I think she idolizes him rather than has a romantic crush on him. But I'm odd and I have a whole set up for all of the female characters regarding their feelings about Kirito. Sinon may have a crush on him but she acts more like a sister, teasing him and doing it for amusement and to see the look on Asuna's face. One problem is in the normal series outside of the games Sinon and Asuna aren't actually that close, I mean Sinon wasn't in SAO or ALO in the beginning and they don't really have a reason to be close other than they both know Kirito. That does change in my version, with Asuna making a few appearances in GGO and other stuff._

 _I have both of those planned and started, I just have to figure out how exactly I'm going to lead up to it and give background to the characters' actions in the chapters... (Sugu's easy for Guilded Hero, she's furious at herself and Sugo when she find out what Sugo's been doing to her brother's significant other)_

 _I'm definitely a fan, maybe not super hardcore, but I have read all of the books (main series, side stories, progressive, and manga) and seen the Anime S1 & 2, Ordinal Scale, Extra Edition, and SAO Offline. So I am well versed in the world. I wouldn't write fanfiction in it if I hadn't had a lot of exposure to the world of SAO :D Although I'm worried that I'm making Argo seem too OOC…_

 _Ooh, okay, I'll take a look! I actually have a deviantart too (tigercryrocks) and I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter! I intend to have a few long ones (probably about 11k or more words) but they take days to write and I like free writing these._

* * *

 _ **I couldn't help but include Argo in this one, I have a plan with her character and while she may seem rather OOC, I don't really have a lot to go off of… But anyway, enjoy! :D**_

* * *

 _Back In The Real World… Wheelchair Race!_

 _(Part 1 of 2: Back In The Real World)_

"Take your time silly," Liz snorted as Asuna winced when her movements pinched her still stiff shoulders. Asuna had been pulling on a half sleeve jacket over her mid-thigh length deep red dress of ensemble. She was finally meeting everyone from SAO, after spending six months in Sugo's clutches she was excited to finally get out of the hospital and see her friends. Friends she had developed in the life of SAO, and somewhere in deep in her mind, SAO was still her home. "You've been asleep for three and a half years Asuna. It took us all almost a month just to get up and for our arms to support our weight properly, and you've had what two or three weeks of therapy and you're already doing that?" Liz moved around the hospital bed and gently slid Asuna's right arm through the white half sleeve jacket. "Even being able to actively move your arms and legs like you can right now is a miracle." Once she finished with the sleeve she moved around the bed to Asuna's front to straighten it the jacket out for her.

Asuna adopted a rather impatient expression, "I want to finally meet everyone Liz!" her eyes widened at the slip of using Liz's SAO name instead of her real name, "I mean Rika."

Liz's lips turned up into a slight smile, "you really have a problem using our avatar names don't ya _Lighting Flash._ " She teased her lightly with Asuna's SAO nickname. Once she deemed the jacket straight she tugged the ribbon under Asuna's shirt collar straight and examined her friend with a half critical eye. Asuna was still pretty thin, having lost even more of her weight than the others had of theirs because of her prolonged experience, but for being in a coma for three years she looked amazing. It would take time for her to regain her strength and recover from all of the other ill effects from the NerveGear induced coma, but Liz knew Asuna would be fine. Especially after how hard she was working already just weeks after waking up. Even then, Asuna was as radiant as she had been in game in SAO, something even Liz had to agree with.

"I'm sorry, L-Rika!" Asuna hastily apologized, she was leaning back on her arms her arms softly trembling as she fought to stay upright by herself without letting Liz help her. She was stubbornly refusing to let her friends help her do the small tasks she could actively do by herself with only a few exceptions of the people, Kirito being one of them.

Liz laughed, "Liz is fine Asuna," she rested her hand on her friend's shoulder. "I met you as Liz, and you've known me as Liz for a few years now." She knelt down and grasped one of Asuna's ankles with the intention of helping her put on the white boots that were lying on the floor. "Habits like that don't change for a long time. Plus," she grinned and started to help Asuna with the boots, "we all slip up and call each other by our SAO names half the time. It'll take a long time us all to stop calling each other by those."

"That's who we are at heart." Another voice spoke from the doorway and both girls looked over to see a brunette a few years older than Asuna with shoulder-length curly brown hair and hazel-green eyes _**(her eye color and hair color is so freaking debated on! Is it blonde or brown, and green or hazel?! In Progressive, she's a brunette, but in the anime and manga half the time she's blonde, and her eye color isn't really stated -_-)**_ that even in the real world shone with a slight smirk and had an expression that hinted at her sharp mind. Like she had all the information in the world. "Argo, Liz, and Asuna," the person approached in a light-footed stride that hinted at her SAO days as a highly agile player. "The information broker, blacksmith, and swordswoman," Argo said with a light smile

Asuna's eyes lit up at the sight of her other best friend. Argo had practically been her sister during SAO and had supported her while she had joined the Kob and Kirito avoided her. _**(Reference to another upcoming chapter piece)**_ "I thought you were at work and weren't going to come Argo!"

Argo's smirk was rather priceless, "well… I'm _supposed_ to be there, but I decided to go anyway." The freckles on Argo's cheeks reminded Asuna and Liz of the painted whiskers of SAO and while it did soften the confident and mischievous expression she seemed to always have, it also made her even more of a goofy prankster half her age. Who's hazel doe eyes and freckles allowed her to pull off a very good puppy eye expression. Which she had done on Asuna in SAO a few times as a joke.

Asuna rolled her eyes and lightly shook her head before she looked down at her other friend who was grinning goofily at Argo while finishing pulling up the zipper of Asuna's left boot.

"Are you ever gonna tell us your real name, Argo?" Liz inquired in a cheeky tone and giggled at Argo's response.

Argo smirked, "that'll cost you five-hundred thousand Cor, Lizbeth."

Liz helped push Asuna's right foot into the other white boot and laughed, "yeah right, like I have that kind of money here in the real world."

Argo shrugged, "I'm still Argo to you guys, and I always will be," she added cheekily.

Liz snorted and zipped up Asuna's other boot before letting her now booted foot go, "oh whatever, let's get going already! Where's your prince Asuna?" She teased her friend, unable to help herself, Asuna was just so teasable, even more so here in the real world.

Sure enough, a pink blush spread over Asuna's cheeks at Liz's teasing. "He's not my prince Liz," she insisted and sat up completely before her arms gave out beneath the weight of her upper body. "And he's waiting outside remember?" She had asked him to leave while she had gotten changed out of the hospital provided clothes and into what she was wearing now.

"Okay fine, he's not your prince. Kirito!" Liz yelled his name, "your princess is calling for you!"

Asuna blushed harder, "L-Liz!"

Argo chuckled, her hands tucked neatly into the front pockets of her hooded vest. "You were called 'Aincrad's Princess' A-chan," the ex. Information broker pointed out with a smirk, "you may say he's not your knight, but you're Kii-boi's princess."

Asuna gave both girls the stink eye even as Kirito reentered the room.

Kirito was wearing a black t-shirt, under a black jacket that vaguely resembled his SAO jacket, black pants, and black tennis shoes. The group had asked each other to wear clothes of their SAO colors to help everyone recognize each other, so Kirito was wearing black, Asuna was now wearing white and red, Liz was wearing pink and white, and Argo was well Argo. Kirito's onyx colored eyes were drawn immediately to Asuna and his lips twitched into a smile at seeing his significant other seemingly back to her normal self.

Liz stood up and lightly slapped Kirito on the back, "close your mouth Kirito and help her into the wheelchair so we can get going!" Liz was wearing a dark pink nearly red partially unbuttoned long sleeve with a light pink inside, a dark red belt cinched at her waist, white colored denim capris, brown knee-high boots, and she had the sleeves of her shirt rolled up to just below her elbows.

Kirito rolled his eyes at Liz's antics and moved deeper into the room and toward Asuna. "I'm going, I'm going." He stopped, standing to Asuna's left before he carefully picked her up, being careful to make sure the end of her skirt was pinned between his arm and her legs with his other arm wrapped around her back.

Asuna anxiously put her arms around Kirito's neck to make sure she wasn't going to fall, still a little nervous about a guy as thin as Kirito was, dropping her. Asuna was wearing a mid-thigh length thin strapped burgundy red colored dress, with a white collared shirt beneath it, a thin red ribbon tied at the front beneath her white collar, a white half sleeve jacket with grey edging, white almost knee-high boots with a red top and small black ties in the shape of a bow in the red top of the boots.

Liz laughed, "Asuna you look terrified!" She giggled at her friend's obvious fear, highly amused at Asuna's rather nervous expression despite the fact that Kirito of all people was the one carrying her. Liz would've given up her blacksmith shop in SAO and all her skills to have Kirito carry her like he how was carrying Asuna. Kirito had Asuna practically cradled to his body, holding the girl close and gently, with her head near where his heart was, and his arms curled gently around her body. His hold was affectionate and by the way, he was holding her, everyone in the room, including Liz, could see exactly how much he loved Asuna.

"Sh-Shut up L-Liz!" Asuna stumbled over her words, her face flaring even pinker than before and she actually hid her red face temporarily in Kirito's jacket. Hiding the bright blush on her face as Kirito carried her toward the wheelchair sitting tucked in one corner of the hospital room.

Argo said nothing but innocently stuck her foot out to make Kirito stumble and Asuna to squeak and huddle closer to him while looking away and over at the opposite wall. Argo was wearing a medium brown sleeveless jacket with a zipper going down the far left side and a hood currently off and clasped at the front with a clasp like the clasp that had held her cloak together in SAO; a light green long sleeve shirt that went to a light gray at the elbows, slim khaki colored capris with a thin black belt, and dark brown flat heeled ankle boots. It was similar to her SAO outfit but didn't hide her face or her curly brown hair. The only thing that was missing was her whiskers, but she hadn't done the whiskers since SAO, even though sometimes she also did from pure habit.

"Argo-san!" Asuna complained when her friend nearly sent her and Kirito to the floor and she tightened her embrace around Kirito's neck mainly out of fear or falling.

Liz and Argo meanwhile just high-fived, grinned at each other, and laughed or chuckled, respectively.

Kirito rolled his eyes and carefully set Asuna down in the wheelchair once he had recovered from Argo's purposeful tripping. "What if I had fallen over Argo? Then what?"

Argo adopted a familiar cheeky smirk, "I calculated that dummy. You would've fallen if I had moved my foot a few inches forward yes, but otherwise, you have enough of a reaction time to not fall."

Kirito blinked for a moment and get a resigned sigh, "even in the real world you know more than I do."

"You better believe if Kii-boi," Argo smirked and then looked at Asuna, "better ask Blackie _**(progressive reference nickname :P)**_ here to maneuver you before Lisbeth seizes you."

Asuna adopted a panicked expression as right after Argo finished her sentence as Liz ran over, grabbed the handles of her wheelchair, and started sprinting with Asuna. "Kiiiriitoo!" Asuna shrieked at the top of her lungs and she pressed as close to the back of her wheelchair as she could. "Aargoo!"

Argo broke into a rare fit of giggles and chased after Liz and Asuna while Kirito stood blinking in confusion for a moment.

"Liz!" Asuna's next yelp shook him from his confusion though, "wall! There's a wall!"

"Come on Kirito," Argo popped back into the hospital room and grasped Kirito by the wrist before she continued her chase with Kirito now being dragged behind her. "Or you're going to be left behind."

"KIRITO!" Asuna shrieked when Liz went dangerously fast around the corner ahead of them, "Liz' going to kill me!"

Kirito moved to start running properly but stumbled when he was pushed and fell back into a different wheelchair. Only to make a rather unmanly yelp when Argo started pushing it. _Oh dear…_ "Argo!" He yelped as he felt Argo steadily gain speed and flailed his arms as it looked like they were going to hit a wall. "Stop!"

Argo cackled madly and quickly turned down the hall with a sharp turn and went even faster. Sure Liz was fast, but Argo had run track for her high school before SAO and she was built for running. SAO had taught her a few pointers and tricks and she used them here in particular as she chased after Liz and Asuna, the latter of which was still screaming and clutching at her wheelchair with a death grip. _**( Argo can run on water in SAO without special gear... o_O )**_

Kirito just gripped the armrests of the wheelchair he was in and stared wide-eyed as the world flew by. _Who are these people and what did they do with our friends?!_

* * *

Asuna was still twitchy even in the car minutes later, to the point where it seemed that her amber eyes were permanently round with shock and her face was close to being as white as a sheet.

After the craziness that had occurred at the hospital minutes earlier Kirito's Aunt Midori, his driver for today had agreed to take her and Kirito while Argo brought Liz on her fancy little motorcycle.

No doubt Midori had been shocked to see Liz practically shoot out the hospital doors with Asuna still yelling and Argo shoot out after her with Kirito in a wheelchair and going almost twice as fast. Only to witness Argo come to a complete and sudden stop and Kirito to be launched out of the wheelchair and to tumble out onto the grass Argo had thoughtfully stopped next to.

Right now Kirito and Asuna were sitting in the back with their shoulders brushing, Kirito looking at Asuna with worry in his onyx colored eyes. He was still a little pale himself from the wheelchair race but seemed to be faring much better when compared to his still in shock girlfriend. "You okay?" He asked Asuna cautiously and gently grasped one of her thin hands in his own.

Asuna licked her lips and managed to reply, "Um… I think so?" She blinked and her amber eyes returned to their normal size, "I think I'm best friends with the two most insane people alive."

Kirito couldn't help but laugh at that, causing Asuna to join in and Midori to lightly chuckle as well.


	8. Why Do I Have To Be An Undine?(IRL, ALO)

_**~K2-Black-Panther~**_

 _I'm worried about Argo's character, she's not as Argoish as I want her to be XD I think it's the loss of her accent but Im not sure..._

 _I've read and watched everything I could get my hands on!_

 _I picture that scene (The Excalliber scene) as a little more sibling teasing between Sinon and Kirito, because Asuna doesn't get angry with her she just gives her a rather flat look compared to Liz's rather moody look and Silica's huffy one. But to each their own! I can see your point though, it's like the author and anime developers wanted Kirito to be a really bad girl magnet despite the fact that through most of it he's with or crushing on Asuna :P I personally think Liz totally has a crush on Kirito, Silica idolizes him which can be seen sometimes as a romantic crush, Sinon's bonded with Kirito through their similar experiences and so they understand each other's situation and tease each other endlessly, Sugu is well Sugu but she begins to move on after S1 of the Anime, and Asuna if Kirito's equal and "soulmate" because I like her as a character and the progressive novels make their relationship beautiful._

 _I totally forgot about that moment to be honest, but I can see Asuna and Sinon as good friends, especially when they tell each other stories of the weird, stupid, or dumb things Kirito's done._

 _Yeah, I'm writing the Guilded Hero AU here soon, watching the episode right now actually…_

 _Hmm… What I'm mainly struggling with is that I want to include Asuna because in the books she kills Kuradeel instead of Kirito and I like that version better, so she has experience in having killed someone before as well.. It's not meant to have any romance between Asuna and Kirito, it's mainly that I personally believe Asuna could've tried to hold Kyouji off so that Sinon could've woken up relatively safe. Plus I have an idea regarding Sinon's PTSD relating to guns, which temporarily disables Sinon from a panic attack and Kirito arrives to stop Kyouji and snap Sinon out of the attack…_

 _I'll read your stories tonight and PM you my thoughts on them! :D_

* * *

 _Why Do I Have To Be An Undine?_

 _(Possibly Part 1)_

 _Kirito! I Can't Fly!_

" _ **My name is Kirito, I'm an ambassador for the Spriggan-Undine Alliance. Since your on the offensive today, I'm assuming you want to wage a full out war between all our races…"**_

* * *

"Wait, why do I have to be an Undine again?" Asuna asked for a repeat of why her character had to be of the Undine class of fairies in ALO. She was dying to see Yui again, she hadn't seen her since her deletion from the SAO servers, had been avoiding VRMMOs since her waking up from Sugo's hands. but for some reason she was having an issue with being able to choose her character. When she had told the others she was going to dive into ALO for the first time, technically her second MMORG game ever, she had nearly had her ears blown out about them all yelling about how she had to be Undine. Originally she had been leaning toward a Sylph character, but now she was confused. What exactly happened that made it so important to be an Undine?

Sugu hesitated and glanced at her brother who really looked like he couldn't care either way, but was a little nervous about it. "Erm…"

"It's Sugu and Kirito's story," Liz decided and put all the blame on the pair of siblings.

"What? Hey! While that may be true Rika you could help us-" Sugu tried to complain to the ALO blacksmith.

"Against Asuna?" Liz snorted and gave an exaggerated roll of her eyes. "You'd need an unbreakable sword, massive health reserves, and earplugs."

Asuna lightly tugged on Liz's ear with a huff, "I heard that Liz." She looked at her friends, "but she's right," her amber eyes gained a rather dangerous tsundere glint, "so someone better tell me why I _have_ to be an Undine in ALO."

All of them looked anxiously between each other before Kirito spoke up. Used to her varying attitude after three years of working together in SAO, being in a relationship with her for two, and being married to her in SAO for a year. "I fought the Salamander's Commander when I was searching for you and well…"

"He had the bright idea of telling him that he was the Undines' Ambassador!" Sugu broke in, "and he believed it! Until recently anyway."

"Lately that same creepy commander has been snooping around, actually looking for an Undine in our group of friends, but none of us are Undines. Which makes it hard to believe," Liz sighed and rolled her eyes, "he's both creepy and irritating."

"So we need an Undine to solidify Kirito's _massive_ lie," Silica added in her two cents, "which has to be you!"

Asuna gave her an odd look, "why me? Of all people why should I be a healer?"

Kirito lifted his eyes to her, his onyx colored eyes a little hesitant to reveal his thoughts. Yet he did it anyway. "It'll make ALO different from SAO," Kirito pointed out rather quietly, "if you're a healer you can revive and heal everyone in the team. It's not like you can't still fight with a sword, it just means you can do than fight with a blade."

Asuna heard his unspoken words, _It means I won't have to watch you die again…_ Asuna held Kirito's gaze, silently searching his face.

While Kirito no doubt knew and had gotten used to the whole dying and reviving thing again in ALO, it was still a tough pill to swallow regarding the other after three years of SAO. Plus they both had nightmares about Kirito's fight with Heathcliff, not of the duel itself, but of the moment where Asuna had managed to overcome paralysis and was hit by Heathcliff's blade.

None of the others currently dared to say anything, sensing that it wasn't the time to tease either of them purely by the silence and the serious expressions on both of their faces. Even Liz, who teased Asuna and Kirito mercilessly about anything and everything regarding their relationship, said nothing and just watched.

* * *

Liz could tell what Kirito was getting at and what he was remembering because of it. Everyone had heard about Asuna overcoming paralysis to jump in front of Heathcliff's sword, even the real world. Kayaba had apparently created a stream purely for the battle between Kirito and himself, a vr camera behind Kirito and one to his and Kayaba's left. So when Kayaba's sword swung everyone saw Asuna run into the camera's frame and get slashed by the deadly sword. When Sugu had showed it to her Liz had cried. Bawled even, at seeing her friend break into pixels and Kirito's completely heartbroken expression. It had been excruciating to watch, but Liz had no doubt that it measured even close to how Asuna and Kirito felt about it. She and Kirito had taken turns while Asuna was still comatose from the Nervegear, Kirito stayed when he could during the day while Liz more often than not stayed there at the hospital at night till about midnight. After Sugu had showed her the video Liz had stayed there for most of the night, sitting next to Asuna on the bed and looking at her still sleeping best friend. Once Kirito had fallen asleep there, and Liz had listened to him mumbling in his sleep about incoherent things till he had startled himself awake with the yell, 'Heathcliff stop!' By the way he face had been white as a sheet Liz knew what he had been dreaming about and said nothing.

Although if she was honest with herself Liz wanted Asuna to be an Undine healer too. It would keep her safe, keep her away from any players who would want to PK her and put Liz and Kirito through the reminder of hr death in SAO. It would make her feel a hundred times better knowing Asuna had her back and wasn't in any danger or being killed by another player.

When Asuna and Kirito still said nothing Liz finally spoke, despite the shake of her head Sugu was giving her. Sugu probably thought she was going to tease them. Liz gently put one hand down on Asuna's left shoulder, "Asuna, it'll make us _all_ feel better if you were able to use one of the strongest healing spells in the game."

Asuna's lips twitched into a frown, "I'm a swordswoman, not a healer," she insisted stubbornly. And Liz could tell she was taking the whole being stuck in the back a little personally.

"You can wield a sword too," Liz pointed out, her voice was calm, a rarity in of itself. "Not all magic requires a wand, and you could always join the front when you'd like. We're not pushing you into the back to protect you, you and protect yourself just fine. We're just asking you to have another skill that means you can have all of our backs all at the same time."

Asuna frowned but her expression did adopt a rather thoughtful one, like she was mulling over the idea.

"I'll even make you a new sword," Liz grinned, to lessen the heavy atmosphere. "It won't be as awesome as Lambent Light or Dark Repulser, but it'll be an amazing sword."

Asuna's amber eyes did light up at the promise Liz made of a new sword, and she sighed, "Okay fine, I'll be an Undine." Her eyes twinkled with faint amusement, "but only to keep Kirito from getting his butt kicked."

Kirito gave her a relieved smile, "if that's what it takes be my guest."

A moment later while everyone was now sitting down and beginning to discuss what to do in ALO, Liz caught Kirito's eye and smiled. The smile widened further at what he mouthed to her.

'Thank you, Liz.'

Liz waved him off and rolled her eyes before she fixed her blue gaze on Asuna. "Sooo Asuna," she reverted back to her teasing self and leaned close to Asuna's ear, "you and Kirito gonna get married in ALO too?"

Asuna's face went bright pink and she stammered, "L-Liz!"

Liz plopped back into her seat and gave a loud laugh, laughing while Asuna tried to get Sugu to stop asking her what happened. Liz grinned, she couldn't wait till they all logged onto ALO, boy did she had a surprise for Asuna and Kirito.

* * *

Kirito's expression was priceless. Beyond priceless when Asuna spawned in at the town located at the base of the world tree. Because he was in vr, he couldn't really hide exactly how surprised he was and everyone saw it. His onyx colored eyes widened, his jaw slackened, and his wings promptly vanished, causing him to stumble forward from dropping five feet and not expecting to have his wings vanish.

Everyone else landed much more gracefully and the girls giggled at Kirito while Agil laughed and Klein stared at Asuna.

Asuna had clearly converted her SAO character, with a lot of similarities in her avatar and avatar clothing. However the largest shock was Asuna's hair and eyes. Just like how Liz had a different hair and eye color in game due to her SAO character, Asuna's eyes were currently a deep blue while her long hair was a sky blue to go along with her avatar being an Undine. Her outfit was blue and white themed instead of red and white, and whereas her lower arms had been covered by sleeves in SAO her arms under her elbows were exposed up to her wrist and had blue ribbon like ties that went down her arms. Another change was her foot wear, she was wearing mid calf length white boots, and oddly enough wore no metal armor at all. There wasn't a piece of metal to be found on her besides the buckle of her sword belt and the piece just below her neck. _**(I'm lazy and don't want to describe something that can be googled :P)**_

"Lookin' great Asuna!" Liz giggled at Kirito's expression despite the faint pangs of jealousy in her heart, "I think Kirito's speechless!"

Asuna blushed and awkwardly bounced on her heels before she remembered something, "oh I almost forgot! How come I have my levels and skills from SAO?" She asked curiously and fumbled for bringing up the menu, using the wrong hand about five times before Liz corrected her.

"Left hand Asuna," Liz snorted and grasped her friend's hand before she brought up her menu for her, "see?"

"We don't really know why we all have our previous levels and stuff," Agil told Asuna with a smile, "Kirito's speculated it's something about the similarities between games."

Asuna blinked, then nodded slowly, "oh okay, that makes sense I guess." She looked at Kirito, getting a little self conscious by Kirito's staring, "Kirito?"

Agil slapped Kirito on the back, "if you don't get your head back here in a minute or two Klein's going to run off with Asuna, Blackie."

"Wait what-?" Asuna asked confusion

"WHAT?!" Kirito practically roared when he snapped out of whatever he had been thinking about and turned to glare at Klein who gulped and took a step back in fear and raised his hands.

"Hey man, you know I wouldn't do that!"

Kirito's glare sharpened and he said nothing. Asuna was his. And while they were somewhere where Kirito could slice to ribbons anyone that dared to take her from him, he wouldn't mind doing that. Except he couldn't actually kill Klein without feeling guilty, so he would stare at him till he cried instead.

Klein shuffled behind Liz, crouching slightly and trying to hide behind the backsmith. "Come on man! You're really scaring me!"

Liz smirked at Kirito's glare, "oh so now you're the overprotective boyfriend, eh Kirito?" She snickered, "you do know that Asuna's going to be stared at all the time here right? She was stared at in SAO _even_ when she wore the cloak over her face."

Kirito's face turned a little pink at Liz's teasing and he crossed his arms over his chest, blaming the game for the blush on his cheeks. "I can kill them then," he told Liz hotly, "here they respawn so I can kill them if they get that annoying."

"C-Come on man, you wouldn't would you?" Klein practically whimpered

Kirito looked at the cowering Klein and wilted, "No." He grunted reluctantly, "I wouldn't kill you Klein."

"Thank goodness-"

"Unless you actually run off with her. Then I'd have no problem doing that," Kirito stated rather cooly, and he looked serious enough for Klein to listen. For once.

"Okay, okay, geez! I'll stay away from your wife!" Klein didn't even notice his slip up, occupied with moving away from Liz and avoiding Kirito's narrowed gaze.

Kirito's expression was slightly smug and his glare vanished after Klein promised to stay away from Asuna.

The rest of the group though were rather stunned, blinking in surprise at Klein's slip up and that neither Asuna nor Kirito were even noticing it so far.

Asuna was now giggling, her blue eyes twinkling with laughter at a sight of Kirito she hadn't seen even in SAO for a rather long time.

Then Kirito noticed the slip up and gave a somewhat embarrassed smile directed at the others. Before he laughed and rather awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. "Old habit?" He suggested rather weakly and the others burst out laughing while Klein chuckled embarrassedly and Asuna blushed a gentle pink.

Liz chortled and lightly shoved Klein before she threw one arm around Kirito's shoulders and the other around Asuna's to bring them closer. "I have a welcoming present for you two!" She grinned and manipulated her menu with one hand and caught two small items in her other. She then released her friends and held out her closed hand before opening it. To reveal a set of silver rings that matched the ones Asuna and Kirito had had in SAO. "Tada!" The only difference was that these rings had special features Liz had built into the silver bands, with the help of Argo's computer skills.

Asuna was speechless, the blue haired Undine looked at the rings with an expression of both awe and nostalgia.

Kirito on the other hand blinked before he abruptly pulled Liz into a tight hug, "thank you," he said quietly into her ear, "this means so much to both of us."

Liz froze for a moment at Kirito's sudden hug, and her cheeks went red, "n-no problem!"

Kirito let her go and looked at Asuna with a smile before he scooped the rings from Liz's hand, grasped Asuna around the waist and took off.

Asuna shrieked at the top of her lungs and fumbled to hug Kirito around the neck in fear, having never flown in ALO before. "Kirito! Put me down!" Her face was as white as a sheet, her blue eyes were the size of dinner plates, and Asuna had the expression of thinking she was going to die.

Liz couldn't help but burst out laughing along with everyone else, Asuna's deathly terrified expression was priceless. It had taken Liz a few days to even learn how to not be scared out of her mind when she started flying, and she hadn't had anyone just scoop her off the ground like that.

"Kirito!" Agil called up to the overly excited Spriggan, "Asuna hasn't had any flying practice!"

"Yeah man! You're scaring her!" Klein shouted with a snort, still embarrassed about his earlier slip up.

"Asuna!" Liz provided some actually useful advice, "activate your wings and try to imagine that you have virtual bones and muscles!"

"Kirito put me down!" Asuna shrieked out of fear, "I can't fly!"

Kirito just laughed, "listen to Liz Asuna! Agil!" He called down to his friend with a rather cheeky smirk, "catch her!"

"Wait what?! Kiirrito!" Asuna yelled when Kirito suddenly let her go and removed her arms from around his neck. Sending Asuna falling through the air. "Eeeeek!"

"Asuna!" Liz yelled through her laughter at seeing her friend now tumbling through the air in a rather flailing fashion, "do what I said!"

Asuna, still tumbling head over feet, managed to do as Liz said and her light blue wings shimmered into view. "Noww what?!"

"Try to use though fake muscles!"

Agil's wings shimmered into view as Asuna was getting terribly close to hitting the ground now, and the tall man got ready to catch her if she needed him to.

Kirito meanwhile was laughing like a carefree teenager and practically doubled over mid air.

Asuna slapped her hands over her eyes, "I'm gonnna diiiee!"

 _Whoosh!_

Everyone ducked slightly as Asuna's wings started working and she shot above their heads like a flash of blue lightning.

"Woah!" Silica giggled with a resounding laugh, and Pina gave a surprised cry as well.

"Go Asuna!" Liz cheered while also laughing, the laughter was getting harder to control, especially at Asuna's next words.

"Eeeek!" Asuna screamed, "howw do I sstoppp!"

"Well I'd be darned," Agil smiled up at the rather out of control Undine who looked like a blue blur. "Even here in ALheim, Asuna's still the Lightning Flash."

"Liiiizzz!"

Liz couldn't say anything from how hard she was laughing, almost rolling around on the ground in her laughter.

"Asuna!" Kirito yelled through a few chortles of laughter, "deactivate your speed skill! It'll help slow you down!"

"Shut up Kirito!" Asuna complained before it looked like she had an idea and zoomed toward him.

"Woah, Asuna, slow down-!" Kirito started to say before Asuna crashed into him.

 _Splash!_

All of the water in a nearby fountain slopped out the sides and flew everywhere as Asuna and Kirito hit the fountain at a fast enough of a speed that the purple immortal object sign popped up over the fountain. Water canceled fall damage, so it was a major stroke of luck that they hadn't hit the ground a few feet to the left where it was a stone path.

That was the straw that broke the camel's back, Liz, Klein, and Silica all dissolved into rolling on the ground kind of laughter while Agil chuckled and slowly walked over toward the now mostly waterless fountain.

Kirito sat up with a groan and rubbed the back of his head from the impact of his head against the water fountain. He was soaked to the bone, completely drenched alongside Asuna who coughed out water, which was a truly strange experience, and spluttered. "I deserved that," he coughed, feeling the tightness of his chest like he had water in there but also knowing there wasn't any.

Asuna punched him hard in the shoulder, something she hadn't had the need to do for a while. "You dragged me up into the air and dropped me! Tell me why I shouldn't log off right now?!"

"You'd better answer her Kirito," Agil chuckled as he looked at the two with a rather nostalgic smile, "or she may just kill you with what I'm about to give her."

Asuna looked up at him and blushed, her clothing was soaking wet like Kirito's, but a decent amount of her clothes were white. So she partially hid herself behind Kirito.

Kirito accessed his inventory and a jacket came out of nowhere and fell on top of Asuna, covering her head by the way it fell. "I don't know," he admitted sheepishly, "but I was just goofing off, I didn't mean any of it."  
Asuna pulled the jacket away from her head so it wasn't covering her head or wet blue hair, "dummy," she mumbled but pulled Kirito's jacket comfortably around her body, hiding her avatar's wet clothes.

Kirito grinned cheekily at her, "you still love me right?"


	9. Deadly hacker, MortemKur (ALO, IRL)

_**~K2-Black-Panther**_

 _Well, I do write in pretty much all of my free time… Yeah, but I wouldn't be surprised if Sinon found him to be sweet and cool looking, just also immature and irritating (Especially when he yanked on her tail in ALO)_

 _It's gonna be awesome! With Kirito, Sinon, Asuna, Kyouji, and Yui as main characters, a few of legally carried weapons Liz designed, a gun, a knife, a lethal injection, and a radio, what could go wrong?_

 _I found that scene hilarious, and I have my own spin on it that I may upload because it makes Kirito even more embarrassed, pulls Asuna into it, and makes the other girls really complain to the point where Pina tries to take off with Kirito._

 _Huh, I guess I have to differ. I think Kirito's more torn up about the events in SAO, Asuna's learned that it's part of her and that she's had to atone for her mistakes while Kirito is still haunted by his demons. I do love how Kirito will do anything to protect Asuna but at the same time, Asuna's an incredibly strong character particularly inside SAO. I think Asuna would see her killing Kuradeel as justified when he was about a second and a half away from killing Kirito before she actually got to admit it to him. So it wouldn't bother her as much as it does Kirito because she knows that she did it to keep the man she loved alive and possibly to satisfy her own need for retribution with him killing Godfree like that. Plus Asuna broke the game's speed barrier during her run to them which should've been impossible so why not make her develop her character more? Oh, and if she did kill Kuradeel Asuna would be able to accurately understand what Sinon and Kirito went through with the risen memories of Laughing Coffin._

 _Hm… When it comes to Kirito vs Sugo in the hospital parking lot I had a completely different take that you'll see soon in the new Guilded Hero redo :P Buuut personally I would've knocked him out with his own blade, I've seen enough death in the world. I actually think Kirito didn't kill Sugo purely because of what he though Asuna would think if he did. There's a difference between killing people in a death game and in real life, Kirito had already brutally murdered him there and ruined his right eye. I don't think Kirito wanted to be any more violent than he already was when all he wanted to go was go to Asuna's hospital room and hug her and never let go. Spoiler: He does die in my version, *wink* don't worry_

 _Hmm… I'm not much of a friendly person, I have an odd past and my life's pretty screwed up for a teenager so it's not personal... However, I would gladly work with you on some fanfictions and fanart pieces! (Crap! I need to upload that pencil drawing!) I go by Caylee online, and you'll be seeing me as a character in one of the chapters soon :D I don't mind being internet friends with people but I'm naturally seclusive soooo_

 _Asuna crashing into Kirito and sending them into a fountain? Priceless! I love Argo as a character in progressive, she's the best! I think I need to make a chapter where I specifically focus on her as a character and her accent which is stupidly complex._

 _I like them both, but I'm leaning more toward the second one. Of which admittedly I did mull over a basic idea and pull inspiration from another SAO fanfic for a goofy piece PM me about it? I promise it's pretty funny XD Here's the Summary: AU possibly called "Silica's Charm."_ _ **After helping her save Pina, Silica's sticking to Kirito like a curious flea, making Kirito reluctant to leave the young girl with those ridiculous players who wants Silica as their Mascot. So he takes Silica with him back to Selmburg to ask one of his friends for help training her and keeping her safe. Or more like two, no actually three of them. (Kirito, Silica, Asuna, Liz, Klein, Agil, and Leafa) Turns out Silica's the perfect one to bring all six of them together for once and for all.**_ _Although I may upload that one outside of this or double upload it like I'm doing with this chapter since it's technically a stand-alone._

 _ **~quiditchChick6~**_

 _Thx! I still don't know where that water fountain scene even came from..._

 _2:15? That's nothin' I was up till 4:30 and had to get up at 6:45 today XD_

 _I'm super happy you love them! I really enjoy writing these and it's been a while since I've written fanfiction without changing the characters._

* * *

 _ **This is very much an AU, I would never do this to the characters in their normal world. However, I do encourage you to read the whole thing, it's inspired by a fanfic I just read on Wattpad that I can't remember the name of, crap. One sec**_

…

… _ **..**_

… _ **.**_

… _ **.**_

 _ **Here we go, it's called "Until The End" by FjDirectioner, and I liked the idea of ALO getting hacked all because Kuradeel had a girlfriend; so this tale of heart-wrenching moments, soft fluffiness, and heartless writing was born! Oh, and be glad I didn't put a cliffhanger where I really wanted to put one...**_

* * *

 _Deadly Hacker, MortemKur_

 _AU It's an AU!_

 **(ALO, SAO, IRL)**

"Noo!" The yell tore from Kirito's mouth in a wail of fear and he struggled to finish off the enemies he was fighting. "Asuna!"

Asuna stumbled backward, the beautiful Undine's face had adopted an astonished expression and she looked surprised to see the knife currently in her abdomen up to the hilt. The color in her face drained as she coughed and her knees buckled, her assailant knelt as she fell, so Asuna's head rested awkwardly on his shoulder. Red bubbled at Asuna's lips, looking incredibly realistic for a hack and making ALO seem suddenly much darker.

"Asuna!" Kirito slashed through yet another player who could revive and roared in fury at the enemy pushing him back, away from Asuna when here they couldn't respawn. The blood on Asuna's lips was real, in the real world she was losing blood, _real blood,_ and he couldn't do anything but struggle to try and reach her. Kuradeel had gotten his revenge, with this massive hack that mixed GGO and SAO all together, corrupting the world of ALO and targeting SAO survivors.

"Mommy! Yui howled, the little girl was lying sprawled on the ground in a small nook in the back of the cave they were fighting in, and Kirito saw Asuna's magic, the concealing magic protecting Yui, flicker and waver. Asuna wasn't going to last much longer, and when she disappeared Yui's protective magic barrier would fail.

But Kirito caught sight of and heard Asuna forcing out ALO spell words in a croaking voice. _**(I apologize now for butchering this but I tried six different Old Norse translator and this is what I managed to create with English grammar rules. Old Norse is one of the few common ancient languages I can't read in or speak.)**_ , " Sū brjóta snarp-liga," the rather familiar cylinder of spell words appeared around Asuna's body, words sluggishly moving around her like they were affected by Asuna's weakening consciousness. "frān iord-rīke," Asuna forced the words through her bloodied lips, the chosen words appearing in front of her and her assailant. Asuna's voice was barely audible to Kirito's ears even with his high listening skill, and it was a croaking whisper, "Overja ok hylja sjá," Asuna coughed and her magic faltered, but even as blood from the hack dripped down onto the ground from her wound in abdomen, Asuna continued. "kind þótt æpte Ekku skaði…" The spell finished and an invisible ripple went through the cave, temporarily stunning everyone in shock and Yui's wavering barrier turned solid, preventing other players from even getting close to her. _**|Sū (spell directed toward Yui, a player) pull energy from this world to protect and conceal this child even after Ekku (the spell caster, my) death.**_

 _Do not fear, child,_ Yui heard a faint whisper through her ears as she trembled with fear, now unable to see what was going on in the fight. _You are protected..._

"Someone get to Asuna!" Kirito pleaded with his friends, half of them were in the real world connected by audio via Yui and half of them were here helping him. They all were running around, either in battle or racing against the clock to save as many of the other SAO players as possible. "Asuna can't die!"

"We're trying Kirito!" Klien and Sinon's voices were frankly pissed off and stressed, they were in the real world, and by the sound of it, they were trying to knock down a door. "The door's locked and the hospital staff are responding to another emergency!"

"Open up you damn door!" Klein swore and Kirito heard him ram the door again, "nobody's taking my brother's future wife!"

A pink haired leprechaun jumped in front of Kirito and used a sword skill on her mace to send fifteen enemies flying before they turned into remainder lights. "Go to her!" Liz shouted, the pink haired SAO survivor was cut up and injured but wasn't seriously hurt like Asuna was. "She needs you!"

Kirito didn't have to be told twice and started charging through the enemy ranks to reach Asuna, "Asuna!" He yelled her name, "just hold on!" He knew deep in his heart they weren't going to make it. Asuna's eyes were already dulling, blood was getting all over the ground and her clothes, she was coughing up blood from being stabbed in the real world, and yet she was still casting spells.

"Ōsu Þeír fylla gullin öl," Asuna spluttered as the Undine's chest heaved for air, struggling to breathe in the real and virtual worlds, "helgask allr eitrið, rísa folk." Her voice shook and her head drooped, almost losing hold of her magic and staying in the virtual world. "Gefa þeir þroski ok skjót-fœr fara fram áðr hríð endi ok una standa fólcvíg annarr dœgr!" With that Asuna's attacker sprang away and vanished, Kirito fell to his knees next to Asuna, and the Undine fell, her blue eyes struggling to stay open. _**|Ōsu (casting a spell over the groups of allied parties) "Heal them, golden ale, cleanse all toxins, and have them stand to the line of battle once more." ( " " is a standard Undine Healing Spell) Give them strength and speed to continue on till the battle's end and live to stand in battle another day!|**_

"Asuna!" Kirito cradled her in his arms, staring in horror at what had happened to her. It was like SAO all over again, but this time Asuna was targeted instead of him. "Asuna!" He lightly shook her when her eyes closed, "stay awake! Sinon! Klein! We don't have much time!" Asuna's lips were stained red with the blood from the hack, simulating what she looked like right now in the real world, having been stabbed there at the same time. Asuna's boots were becoming transparent, the soles of her shoes were becoming a faint transparent blue, a color that would match her remaining light if she were able to respawn. "Asuna!"

"Klein move!" Sinon snapped and Kirito heard a gunshot, likely Sinon managing to use a pistol to shoot the lock.

Asuna was clearly drained, the magic had taken it's toll on her already weakened mind and body, and while everyone else in their group of allied parties was enveloped in a watery glow that meant they were all fully healed and restored, Asuna's ALO blue eyes slipped closed.

Kirito's yells of her name turned into broken wails of grief as Asuna's head limply turned toward him and her character shimmered and vanished with a slow-burning blue flame. Leaving behind nothing but a tiny flickering blue flame Kirito now held in his hands. "Asuna!" He yelled and held the in-game item close to him with a broken sob, "Asuna!"

The tiny flame flickered in Kirito's hands, an in-game object named, "Asuna's Heart." _Kirito..._

* * *

 _ **I want to end it here soooo badly! It's such the perfect cliffhanger it's freaking amazing! But then again Asuna's dead (Supposedly? I think so? Yeah, she's gone) and I shouldn't leave it like this, it's too heartbreaking! But it'll ruin the suspense of the story if I don't… Blegh! Too many choices! Ooh, here we go...**_

* * *

I couldn't see anything, or hear anything either. Even my harsh breathing was inaudible to me now. What happened to me? Where was I? And why did none of my senses work? I felt like I was floating, floating in something I was tempted to say was similar to water but couldn't tell for sure. This… this must be my life now I guess… A place where none of my senses worked and I felt like I was submerged in water. My body didn't respond when I tried to move my fingers, I couldn't even feel most of my body anymore, it seemed to be fading, another sense slowly trickling through my fingers. I was fighting... Fighting with my friends, and then this happened.

Suddenly I felt my lungs squeeze like I was suffocating, and felt what felt like grass beneath my bare feet as I landed with a rather soft thump. My knees buckled and I dropped onto the ground onto my hands and knees rubbing my neck and trying to make the choking dissipate. It wasn't until a few moments later when I managed to take in a deep breath and slowly release it, beyond thankful that I wasn't choking anymore. However, my eyes flickered open and I stared at what was around me. Or more like what was under me. I was standing on a mostly transparent area, but that wasn't what was surprising to me. The massive world of ALheim was directly below my feet, thousands upon thousands of feet away. My breath hitched, what now? Why was I here in another VR world?

"Excuse me?" A rather suspicious voice spoke softly and I whirled around to stare wide-eyed at a curly haired girl who looked to be in her late teens with thin glasses rimming her deep brown eyes. "But I have to ask what you're doing here."

"Here? What and where was here exactly?"


	10. Group Picnic Aftermath (IRL)

_**~quidditchChick6~**_

 _I almost died writing it actually. I never cry when I'm writing even a super sad story but I felt my throat close up with the sadness in that particular one. I can't really tell you it's going to get better right away, but I can tell you that you will be satisfied with how it eventually ends. Well technically Yui couldn't see Asuna actually die, Asuna's spell shielded her from that, but yeah it's a really sad way for Kirito to see Asuna die. It's like Heathcliff all over again. Mine does tooo! It hurts so bad that it's bleeding!_

 _ **~K2-Black-Panther~**_

 _Yeah well I got inspiration from a Fanfic I read where Kuradeel has a hacker girlfriend and kills Asuna in front of Kirito, but mines waaaaay more complicated and includes an OC of mine. I can't reveal much else without spoiling the rest of the story :P_

 _Well they don't have a good guy female character kill in an anime and or manga very often if at all to sell the "damsel in distress" or "a girl of high honor." Even if the female lead is such a strong character the anime creators would rather have the guy move in at the last second to save the girl than show a side to a girl that many people could take in different ways. I think Asuna would never kill unless Kirito's life was weighing on that one decision, or if there were hundreds of lives on the line (It's a non spoiler piece of info I know from reading the Alicization novels). That's quite frankly Asuna's character, the seemingly impossibly strong female lead who's head over heels for a guy but is too shy to tell him directly. She's the kind of character that would give up the world for her loved ones, able to make a sacrifice to save those who she can. Asuna's got a beautifully pure heart, and it's shown over and over again in the anime, manga, and the light novels._

 _Hmm… that makes sense, Kirito's seen enough death and doesn't need anymore blood on his already guilt ridden hands. Those he did kill haunt him for years. I probably wouldn't have. I probably would've broken some of his ribs (I've broken someone's shoulder blades before because I was attacked) and done some damage to make myself feel better but I wouldn't have killed him. Although while I certainly haven't killed, I've seen enough death myself. I do have a whole plan for Sugo though, and it involves a very special cafe owner who's like a big brother to Asuna and Kirito and is mighty furious when he sees what's happening._

 _I'm honestly really tempted to write a short story where a spell of Kirito's illusion magic "goes wrong" and turns Asuna into a Cat Sith temporarily…_

 _I am a nice person, a nice person to a fault actually. My "fatal flaw" is that I'm too kind, I don't put myself first often enough. Ouch, life's certainly a roller coaster isn't it?_

 _Yeah mine's mess too, I'm ADHD (Inattentive with a major hyper focus problem), I have complex PTSD (for multiple reasons), and multiple muscular, bone, and nerve damage problems :P Actually I'm currently healing from a car crash (in April) where I broke and ankle and messed up my other foot too. It's been a very long road that won't end because I damaged most of the cartilage in my ankle so it won't ever heal properly. Buuut that's about all of the personal info you're gonna hear out of me :P_

 _I'm naturally seclusive because I'm an introvert with a love with the English language (got a near perfect ACT English score) and two disorders that affect my ability to, learn, be social and comfortable around people, and actually understand them._

 _I'm an art and writing junkie, I live on it XD I'm a digital and traditional artist and I'm publishing a book this year called "Ravaged Heart" as a pseudonym._

 _I've been busy with the updated video game and my life outside of writing lately, sorry :( But my family's asleep now sooo I'll try and do it now after I upload a Destiny 2 fanfic._

* * *

 _ **I apologize for missing a day with the uploads, but my favorite video game updated finally (Destiny 2) and I'm sooooo excited about it that I've actually been playing the update and working on a short battle scene for that fandom instead of finishing this till today… But I do have another one mostly finished (the sequel to the AU that nearly killed me to write) and I have a few goofy ideas I intend to use for the next ones. But hey, this one isn't too short relating with the size of the other ones and it's pretty funny and I need practice with Argo's accent so enjoy!**_

* * *

 _Group Picnic Aftermath_

Kirito's eyes were closed, today was rather perfect, he decided. Today was a Saturday, with no school. Just him and others in their friend group all relaxing together after a picnic at the park. It was roughly three in the afternoon now, with the picnic having gone one for an hour as they talked about the good times they had had in SAO and the adventures they had been having so far in the real world.

It was early May, nice and warm with the hint of spring wind and summer heat. The group had decided to all get together for the weekend. The girls including Sugu had been over at Liz's last night while the boys had all gathered at Kazuto's, and now with nothing to do and not many ideas, the group had decided to lounge around. Well, the decision was made for them when Asuna had fallen asleep on the grass, Agil had started to tell a story about his shop, and Sugu had started asking questions about SAO and what she hadn't heard yet.

Not that Kirito was complaining, he was comfortable, lying on the grass with an arm under his head, Asuna's jacket tucked under his head and arm, and the sun's rays warming his face and body. Plus Asuna was asleep next to him, stretched out beside him with one arm thrown across his chest and her bangs and closed eyelashes brushed softly against the side of his shoulder. This last part, in particular, Kirito was happy with. Asuna had been in the real world for six months now and besides school rarely went out and did stuff like this with them all, finding it still exhausting to do much besides go to school and work her butt off to make up for lost time and to make her parents happy. They spent as much time together as they could fit into Asuna's schedule but more often than not Asuna's mother called her or demanded she went home so she rarely stayed for longer than an hour.

The remaining stress in Kirito's body faded and he sighed in a rather content fashion, able to hear the rest of the group talking, giggling, and laughing with one another. Normally he would've joined in too, but when Asuna was this close to him, something he hadn't experienced since SAO, and asleep he didn't want to wake her nor move away from her. He had fond memories of the occasional lazy day during their two-week break from the front lines, and moments where he actually managed to be up before Asuna was. Asuna helped soothe his fear of the future, something that had been weighing heavily on his mind since their return from SAO. He was scared about what was going to happen to him and Asuna and the others. They were behind in the real world and while in SAO they had been on the top with no doubts about their places in the world, here in the real world they were still teenagers, teenagers who had missed two years of schooling and were sometimes considered to be mentally broken from being in the game. When for Kirito it had been the happiest time of his life. He had met a beautiful fencer and beat a boss with her help; even traveled with the fencer until they had to split up for the safety of the other players; only to be reunited with her months later to see the stress of her position had changed her; made tons of new friends and met tons of people; fell in love, got married, had a daughter named Yui; lived with the one he loved in their little cabin on floor twenty-two; and got to live a life where he had been really and truly happy.

Kirito opened his eyes, turned his head to look at Asuna, and silently lifted one hand to brush her bangs from her sleeping face. _She must be really tired,_ he mused quietly to himself and brushed two fingers over her cheek in a rather affectionate manner. _To be sleeping like this in the middle of the day on grass as rough as this stuff if._ He, however, jerked his hand away from her face when he heard Liz's comment directed at him and spoken loud enough for him to hear.

"Just because she's keeping you there doesn't mean you should enjoy it that much Kirito!" Liz teased rather ruthlessly, "you're supposed to do that kind of stuff without the rest of us around! You know-"

Agil covered her mouth with a hand, "I think that's far enough Rika," he called the girl by her real name to display his seriousness. "We should be grateful Asuna's healing well enough for her to even be near him, Klein, and I."

That shut Liz up, she clearly hadn't thought of it that way. And neither had Kirito.

Kirito blinked, Agil was right, they were all incredibly lucky, him most of all. After the incident with Sugo and after having settled into life again the effects of Asuna's capture had started to creep up on her. Starting with panic attacks, being jumpy, extremely self-conscious, and for a while, she wouldn't let any guy beside Kirito even shake her hand. Even then Kirito had had to be careful, any kind of wrong move would make her get overwhelmed by a panic attack. Of which were luckily over so far, proven by her trusting him to watch over her while she was asleep, just like he had done in SAO. Although… Kirito did feel a little bad for actually bringing Asuna to the picnic in the first place, she had been coughing all week, sick with something that wasn't contagious but wreaked havoc on her weakened lungs. She had said the fresh air would be good for her after being cooped up at home, but Kirito had quietly guessed she wanted to be with the rest of the group able to listen to their Aincrad stories for the memories and even tell a few of her own. But now she was asleep, out cold while a few members of the group were following suit. Him, Silica, and Argo. Argo was up in a tree, softly snoring while Silica was in the process of curling in a ball under the picnic blanket. Liz, Agil, Klein, and Sugu were all wide awake with Agil, Liz, and Klein arguing about Agil's old shop and Sugu giggling and listening intently.

Kirito felt his eyes close, being lulled to sleep by the spring-summer heat, the warmth of Asuna's body heat, her rythmic breathing and the light bickering of his friends. _This is nice…_ He idly thought even as he started to doze off himself, _like Aincrad… underneath the fighting..._

* * *

"Aaaheeeeeeeeh!

A rather loud girlish shriek and thump made Kirito jolt bolt upright and instinctively reach for a sword that wasn't there. His mind was foggy, obscured by the cobwebs of sleep, and it took him a moment to look around in confusion for the source of the shriek. Only to find Argo scrambling to her feet from falling out of a nearby tree and racing toward him as fast as she could.

Kirito only had time to both wonder what Argo was yelling about and that if she woke up Asuna everyone was going to die before Argo crashed headlong into him. He barely managed to keep himself from falling sideways on top of where Asuna was asleep like she had in SAO when he convinced her to try lying down on the grass. But it looked like Argo didn't really care Asuna was asleep as she scrambled to sit behind him and accidentally kneed Asuna in the gut as she knelt behind Kirito and hid. Only visible by a few of her blonde curls. _**(I like Argo better blonde :P)**_

"Hide me!" Argo yelped, grasping handfuls of Kirito's jacket and practically shaking in her boots. Argo was wearing a rather simple loose green short sleeved shirt with a brown stripe down the shoulders and a white collar and edges, khaki shorts that had a few pockets on the sides to hold her pocket notebooks, and mid calf high rather simple brown leather boots with no heel.

Asuna started coughing after Argo kicked her, having just had the wind knocked out of her. She then opened her eyes, blurred with sleep and highly confused. Even as she sat up with one arm wrapped around her midriff and kept coughing, wheezing from the pain as she breathed, she looked rather drowsily confused. Which cleared up over the next few moments.

Kirito then heard Asuna vaguely say an SAO curse under her breath through the coughing and he paled slightly, they were all doomed. He tried to twist and see if she was really okay, only to have Argo force him to stay there in one position and be her shield. "Argo, I'm trying to see if Asuna's okay," he stated rather bluntly, "you kneed her in the stomach."

Argo refused to let him move, "she's fine," she dismissed Asuna without a second thought, "I, on the other hand, won't be if that _thing_ keeps huntin' me!"

Kirito sighed, oh dear. There were only a few things Argo was afraid of, and only one of them was in the real world too. Dogs.

Argo was rambling now. "It's tryin' ta get a taste of ma blood so it can find me later an' then kill me! I hate these stupid thin's! Why do they even 'sist?! What's the point in an animal tha' wants people's blood?!" Her accent was leaking heavily into her words, her fear of the creature temporarily scrambling the face that Argo preferred to hide her accent in the real world. "I ain't gonna survive if it gets me this time! It's been followin' me since my house! I could've sworn it was gone durin' da picnic but it's back now an' wants to kill me!" She lightly shook Kirito from behind, "ya gotta protect me Kii-bou!"

Kirito was still trying to look back at Asuna who's coughing had stopped but she still wheezing each breath and half doubled over. "Argo seriously, I think you broke one of Asuna's ribs or something-" he started to say worriedly only to be cut off.

 _Woof!_

"Eeeek!" Argo's shriek almost made Kirito's ears ring as she clung to his back, "ge' it away from mee!" A chocolate lab was running toward them, loping along at a happy pace with its tongue sticking out of its mouth and running toward Kirito, Asuna, and Argo.

"It's just a puppy!" Kirito complained as he tried to turn around again only to be yanked back around by Argo. "Argo seriously, Asuna was already coughing and you kneed her in the stomach!"

"An' I'm serious too!" Argo shot back, her voice a pitch higher than it was supposed to be. "It wants to kill ma!"

Kirito frowned as the dog got closer and just sat there, refusing to help Argo after she had smacked Asuna and wasn't letting him check on his girlfriend. "Hey! Ow! Argo!" He snapped when the shorter girl scrambled up and jumped onto it shoulders, gripping his black hair and watching the approaching dog like it was really going to eat her.

"Make it go away!" Argo exclaimed with her hazel eyes now squeezed shut as the dog jumped on Kirito's lap, "it's huntin' me!"

"Okay! Okay!" Kirito complained and pushed the dog off before he called to the others in their group who were all laughing or giggling. "Not funny guys!" He huffed and kept pushing the dog away from him and Argo who yelped very time the dog got close to her. "Can one of you guys come get this dog away from us?" He asked his friends nicely and got only more laughter as a response.

Kirito then heard the grass behind him move and saw Asuna stand up, still holding her stomach with one arm, and go over to the dog. He looked concernedly at Asuna, who no doubt was going to get pay back for Argo kneeing her.

Asuna carefully picked up the wriggling puppy and gave Argo a scathing look, "did you have to kick me?" She asked, her voice not much more than a croaking wheeze. "I already had a cough." Despite her weak voice, the way she was glaring at Argo reminded all of the SAO survivors around her who she had been in SAO, and what her job had been.

Argo looked a little guilty but she was now staring at the dog in Asuna's arms with wide terrified eyes. Her fear of the fluffy creature was higher than her guilt at making Asuna feel sicker. Asuna would survive without much more than a cough for a week while if that dog got her she was totally and completely, dead. "S-sorry A-chan," she half stammered while still on Kirito's shoulders, hazel eyes fixed on the fluffy creature in Asuna's arms. "I hate dogs…"

Asuna seemed to think for a moment as if she was deciding between letting the incident go and getting her revenge, and got closer to Argo and Kirito, "hold her there Kirito."

Kirito winced but did as she asked and held onto Argo's legs, preventing her from getting away and kicking him.

Argo's eyes widened further, "come on Asu! I didn't mean to! The kickin' wasn't part of the plan!"

Asuna's, still rather sleepy, amber eyes twinkled with mischief and she darted toward Argo, still holding the dog in her arms.

"Noo! Asuna! It'll eat me!" Argo tried to convince Asuna to move back, but to no avail.

Asuna shoved the puppy in Argo's face, the dog immediately started licking the blonde girl's face who was leaning backward further and further to get away from the dog.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Argo yelped and shied away from the dog looking very much terrified to have a dog that close to her, "I'm sorry for kickin' you! Just get tha' demon away from me!"

With a rather satisfied smirk, Asuna pulled the dog back and away from Argo. "It's just a puppy," she said in her still wheezy voice, "puppies are harmless-"

 _Achoo!_

Argo sneezed hard enough that she toppled off of Kirito's shoulders and laid sprawled on the grass with a low whimper. "Allergies…" She groaned with another sneeze.

Kirito busted out laughing and released Argo while Asuna looked extremely concerned and rather guilty.

"Why didn't you tell me?!" Asuna demanded as she put the dog down and pulled Argo to her feet who sneezed again and looked miserable. "I thought you were scared of it!"

"I am!" Argo complained before she sneezed again, her voice was now a little nasally, "they wanna to eat me!" She yelped and jumped away from the puppy and now hid behind Asuna. "Dogs wanna to eat me or kill me with their dander! They hunt me everywhere!" Her accent was still clear, but it was lessening with her allergies acting up and her brain not scattered everywhere in fear.

"Wait, I'm confused, are you allergic to them then or are you just terrified of them?" Asuna asked in her wheezy voice and wrapped one arm around her midriff again like it would help the pain breathing currently brought her.

 _Achoo!_ Argo gave a massive sneeze, nearly toppled backward from the strength of the sneeze, and otherwise didn't answer.

Kirito, on the other hand, managed to stop laughing for the most part and looked at Argo and Asuna, "Asuna," he said through his laughter that was mainly displayed by the trembling of his shoulders, "Argo _is_ allergic to dogs." Asuna's face fell into an expression of guilt. "However," Kirito continued with as much of a straight face as he could muster, "she's also convinced dogs are bloodhounds who feed on and hunt humans."

Asuna's lips twitched and Kirito could clearly see that she was fighting laughter, "hunting bloodhounds who feed on humans? Argo," she looked at the older girl who was like a sister and was much shorter than her, "dogs are called 'man's best friend,' they aren't animals that kill."

"Ya they do!" Argo shot back, "and cats 're man's best friend!" She sneezed again, "not those innocent lookin' demons!"

Asuna couldn't help it, she started laughing, leaning forward on her knees and laughing until she went hoarse.


	11. Hidden Truth, She Found Her (IRL, ALO)

_**~quidditchChick6~**_

 _Yeah, poor Argo! Who wants to be allergic to dogs? I certainly don't. I do feel pretty bad for Asuna at that point, I get sick all the time and it sucks. Although I'm sure Asuna didn't mean for Argo to have an allergic reaction to the poor puppy. Here it is! Although I may slow do my upload speed with home issues._

 _ **~K2-Black-Panther~**_

 _Yeah I've heard of the games, that's where inspiration for Asuna grabbing Sinon's tail came from._

 _Ehhhhh, it's nice sometimes and other times it kicks my butt. Well Asuna is the one who made him defenseless, he had a sword before she disarmed him and Kirito's life was in danger. So in my modified timeline and stuff Asuna follows the books and kills Kuradeel instead of Kirito._

 _Hmm… I don't think Kirito's a brawler, he's more of the person who inflicts little but critical damage to lessen pain but also incapacitate. Now if Asuna was there and capable she would be the one to inflict the most amount of damage without damaging herself. While Asuna's fast, she's also a tsundere and in the moments in the books where she hits Kirito out of embarrassment it shows well._

 _Yup, I messed up my feet pretty bad in it. Actually I've had PTSD since I was a kid, lived with it for most of my live actually._

 _I'm rushed for time which sounds dumb because I'm a high schooler with little to no social life, but my home situation's a mess and I'm losing the option of having internet outside of my school -_-_

 _Let me pull them and read them now while I have a few minutes of free time (I'm a really fast reader)_

* * *

 _ **Soooo my parents are getting rid of the internet at my house. Meaning my stories will have a lot of space between uploads but they'll probably be uploaded in clusters. I want to keep writing these, and I definitely will, but expect more delay because of school and my parents -_-**_

* * *

 _Hidden Truth, She Found Her_

Kirito threw down his pencil and practically screamed in frustration before he put his head in his hands, resting his elbows on his desk. His eyes were squeezed shut, his face screwed up with tears and anguish, and he breathed hard, working to regain control.

The door creaked open and Sugu poked her head quietly into her older brother's room, cautiously looking at him. "Kazuto?" She said in something close to a whisper. "I heard your yell…" Her dark blue gaze swept around the room and she frowned, eyebrows pinching together in worry.

Klein, Sinon, and Argo were all in the room too, the two girls were asleep. Argo was hunched over a portable table, her face resting on her keyboard with it still pressing down keys, and her brown hair was a mess. Sinon was sitting on Kirito's bed surrounded by printed photos with her head currently leaning against the wall, mouth slightly open as she breathed. Klein was scowling furiously as he forced himself to continue reading whatever he was reading on Kirito's computer sitting next to him, unfazed by Kirito's howl.

The three had been helping Kirito since Asuna's death, working with him to find out how someone hacked the game, why they left, and why Asuna had been the target. Sugu hadn't even seen Argo leave the house, the two ex. Beta testers had been pushing their computer skills to the limit, hacking and cracking everything they could to find out how to stop the hack. Sugu also knew that Sinon and Klein felt responsible, unable to get to Asuna before the beautiful girl had stopped breathing.

It wasn't fair for all of them, Sugu reflected as she quietly entered the room and went toward Sinon first to gather up the photos. SAO, Sugo, GGO, and now ALO and the real world were broken apart. Asuna was gone, Kirito was falling apart at the seams, Yui had retreated into Kirito's computer and hadn't been seen in ALO since… the incident. It hurt too much to give it a good name. Sugu had been with Agil IRL when she had heard Kirito's yells, Asuna's spluttering magic, and Kirito's howl of grief, and had been able to do nothing.

Sugu let her brother be as she carefully stacked the photos and pulled a blanket from the floor up and over Sinon. The girl her age was finally asleep and Sugu was glad, Sinon had been beating herself up over Asuna since it happened, and had been working so hard she hadn't been sleeping. Sugu gently took Sinon's glasses from her face and placed them on the edge of the desk where she lightly touched Klein's shoulder to let him know she was there and went over to Argo.

Argo's portable table was covered completely in little balls of paper, broken pencils, small notebooks open and closed, and various colors of highlighters. Yet Sugu didn't touch any of the stuff on her table and instead tried to very carefully lift Argo's hands to keep her from waking up. She had learned the hard way Argo was a light sleeper when Sugu had lifted her head to move her keyboard and had Argo had jolted awake. She had knocked her head against Sugu's and started rambling about something about complicated code and idiots who weren't smart enough for web safety and went right back to what she had been working on.

"Leave her be dude," Klein grunted from his spot next to Kirito and leaned back in his chair for a moment. "You'll wake her up and she'll start saying words that don't make any sense."

Sugu sighed and carefully dropped Argo's hand, "I know, but I don't think she wants to delete pages of her keys being pressed by her face."

"Let Argo sleep," Kirito's voice was more of a thick croak, "she hasn't slept in thirty-six hours."

Sugu blinked and she went tentatively over to her brother, "Kazuto, when was the last time you slept?"

Kirito didn't respond, not moving from his current position.

Sugu's heart wrenched painfully when she saw tear droplets appear on the paper beneath Kirito, and wet the paper with his tears.

"I can't." Kirito eventually said in his croaky voice, "I can't sleep or I see her again. With me, in SAO."

Sugu carefully put her arms around her brother's shoulders, "if we want to find out what happened you need to sleep."

"I can't!" Kirito exclaimed and his voice broke when he buried his head further into his hands, "I can't… I can't go to sleep and see Asuna again," his voice was choked as he continued, tears now dripping quickly down onto the desk below his head. "I miss her," he choked out, "so much," he pushed the heels of his palms against his eyes to make the tears stop, his shoulders were trembling hard and he was breathing in jerky breaths.

Sugu didn't know what to do. Realistically she should pull her brother into a hug and let him cry, but she also knew that he hated crying in front of her and seeming weak. She felt helpless, unable to do anything to help her big brother when he was hurting like this.

"Kirito?" Sugu turned her head to look at the door where Liz had arrived, balancing a tray with sandwiches and whatever she managed to pull together with her almost nonexistent skill in the kitchen.

* * *

Liz saw Kirito crying and wanted to cry herself. When would this nightmare be over? She walked into the room, pushed the random stuff off of her half of Argo's table and set down the tray. She then bumped Argo hard enough that the curly haired info broker jolted awake and went over to Kirito, standing next to him.

"I'ma workin'! I'ma awake and workin'!" Argo floundered, her accent in full force due to her not being awake enough to tune it out just yet.

Liz ignored Argo's rather loud exclamation as she reacted to being bumped by her and instead leaned over so she could partially see Kirito's face. "Hey," she tried to keep her tone as level and calm as possible, even though her blue eyes were silently welling with tears of her own. "What happened Kirito?" He usually didn't do this, rarely ever did he actually cry in front of them all after he had broken down in game and threw himself at Argo and bawled like a child. Asuna's death hurt them all, it damaged them all in a way that could never be fixed. But for Kirito it killed him, Asuna was dead, gone. It felt like their feat of beating SAO was worth nothing. Not when Asuna was killed by yet another vr game. Killed because she was targeted from someone in their SAO days.

Kirito's face screwed up even more and he gave a stifled half sob, "I can't…" He said through the half sob, "I can't do it!"

Liz's eyebrows furrowed, in confusion and in worry. "You can't do what?" She asked, already assuming the answer but asking anyway.

"I can't sleep and see her again when she's not here!" Kirito exploded and his fists slammed down onto the desk with a major rattle. Tears swam in the Black Swordsman's eyes, "I miss her!" He slammed his fists down again and again, "I want to have Asuna back!" His words were only half understandable, "not reminded of her in my sleep! I want her to be here with me!"

Kirito's explosion startled Liz and Sugu and Sugu moved away while Liz took a step back and hesitantly reached for his shoulder. "Kirito…"

Klein looked blankly at Kirito, too sleep deprived and frustrated to be that worried about him.

"Klein," Argo seemed to have snapped awake after Kirito's shouting and was now standing up, hazel eyes focused on the back of Kirito's head. "Go an' take a shower. You smell worse than a Trembling Ox." Clearly Argo was having some issues switching her speech and analogies, that or she was doing it for Kirito's benefit, sounding like she had back in SAO. When he, Asuna, and Argo had teamed up for a while and when Argo had really become a sibling to the couple. "Sugu, Sinon needs a place to sleep. You and Liz find everyone a place to settle down for the night." She then approached Kirito, "Ya alright Kiri-bou?" She hald crouched, going eye level with him and waiting patiently for him to say something.

Kirito turned to look at Argo, onyx colored eyes red rimmed from tears and looking lost and confused. "I miss her, Argo."

Argo's expression softened and she lifted one hand to brush her fingers through Kirito's hair like she and Asuna both used to do. "We all do Kirito, but A-chan would wan' us to find out what's happenin' and stop it. Healin' takes time, some longer than others and ya have to let yer emotions out. It's not healthy."

Kirito choked a sob, not noticing the others quietly leaving and following Argo's instructions. "I… I couldn't save her again," he squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his fists, "I couldn't save Asuna again… It's my fault."

Argo perched on the arm rest of his office chair, balancing precariously as she pulled Kirito into a hug. "Asuna…" She couldn't get the words out, she didn't want to say it out loud, she could pretend Asuna was just missing until she said it outloud, but Kirito needed to hear it to. "Asuna," she hesitated again before powering through, "Asuna died to protect Yui an' the other players in the game an' in the real world." She gazed blankly out the window, feeling like her chest was constricting after she had said that. She had finally said Asuna was dead, it she wanted to go hide in a corner and cry too, _Asuna's dead…_ the phrase echoed in her ears, having finally said it aloud. Then she admitted what she had believed since Asuna's death. "And it's my fault, not yers…" She spoke in a low whisper, "I didn't recognize the hack before it was activated and I should've seen through the quest's hoax."

Kirito stiffened in surprise but Argo didn't notice, her fingers going soothingly through his black hair as she continued. "I'm an information broker and I couldn't even get the info to save Asuna. What a failure I am." She gave a dry chuckle before she hugged Kirito a little closer, pretending it was just for his save. It ain't yer fault Kazuto," she showed her sincerity by using his real name for once, "it's mine and the woman who created tha' darn awful hack." It was a miracle her voice wasn't wavering or breaking from the amount of emotion the girl was feeling at the moment.

Kirito's arms slid around Argo's back and he buried his face into her shoulder, shoulders shaking. "I can't live without her, Akira…" he said thickly through his tears and didn't notice his slip up of using Argo's real name. _**(Unofficial, unfortunately. It means "Bright, intelligent, wisdom, or truth. Pronounced (Uh-kee-Rah) )**_

Argo winced slightly at the usage of her real name, having forgotten that he even knew it, and hugged Kirito like a sister would. "It'll be okay Kazuto," she whispered softly, "I ain't gonna give up till we find out what happened…"

* * *

"It's been almost four days," a voice broke me from my thoughts and I tore my gaze from the ALheim below me to look over at the owner of the voice. "You have to eat something in game in order for your body to get anything, you know that right?"

I looked blankly at the teenage girl who I could still hardly believe was right around my age, I didn't really care anymore. It didn't change here, even the girl vanished and came back at almost the same time every single day. "Exactly why do you care?" I asked rather harshly, letting my anger lash out at the girl who seemed untouchable to anything I said.

The girl then adjusted her glasses, swiped up her menu, and a plate shimmered into existence in her right hand. "Because you'll need your strength." I knew she was trying to help but she was rather annoying with how stoic she always seemed to be, almost like a robot of some kind. I knew her name, she had told me after she had explained where we were, I just usually chose not to address her by it, preferring to just gaze down at the world below my feet yet unreachable.

"For what?"

"Do you want to sit here staring at ALheim or actually go down there?" The brown eyed girl rolled her dark brown colored eyes and stood with her arms crossed. She was roughly my height, maybe an inch or two shorter, had freckles scattered everywhere on her face and skin, curly brown hair that fell to her shoulder blades unless put up in it's classic ponytail, a thin runner's build, and she seemed to always have this 'I don't like people' vibe going on.

Then it registered what she had said and my jaw dropped, "y-you'd take me down there?"

"If you eat," the girl shrugged, "I have an ALO account too so I can smuggle you in there if you wish to. But only until we are noticed, then we have to leave. Even my magic isn't strong enough to conceal us completely and forever."

I jumped to me feet and hugged her tightly, hard enough that I heard the air leaving her lungs, "thank you! Thank you so much Caylee!"

"Welcome…"

I quickly released her and grasped the plate from her before I looked at her and offered her one of my hands. "I believe I still need to introduce myself right?"

Caylee rolled her eyes, seemed to instantly recover from my death hug and nodded. "Uh huh."

I couldn't help the smile spreading on my face, "my name's Asuna Yuuki, SAO survivor."

Caylee grasped my hand in a soft but firm grip, "Caylee Mitsuko, computer specialist." Oddly enough Caylee's hands were cool, like she wasn't half as warm as I was, which was odd.

My eyes turned a little puzzled, _who is she really?_

* * *

 **(Pov Switch)**

Whispers filled my ears as I walked away from the school, whispers likely about me and about the whole SAO incident. After a year I could've thought people were smart enough to get over it, but after what I witnessed on a day to day basis I guessed they weren't comfortable with a 'computer nerd' and death game survivor going to their school. I pushed my glasses further up my nose and continued to walk. I could care less about what people thought of me by now, it wasn't like I was like the rest of them. I wasn't a rich kid, I was a middle class girl with an actual brain and who could actually use it. For the most part I stayed to myself, preferring to find my ride straight away than go off and chat with the other girls in my class or be bothered by the guys.

In SAO I had been one of the silent players, not weak but also not in full view of everyone. In fact, while Argo got the nickname 'the Rat' I was called 'the Hacker' or 'the AI' because some people had believed that in the game I was an AI and not a player. I wasn't one of the ones on the front lines, I had been one of the info brokers in a way. I worked with Argo to fill her field guides to the brim with any and all of the information I could find, hack, and force out of Cardinal. So people rarely saw me, never saw my expression really change, and rarely heard me say anything. Argo was pretty much the only one who had really heard me speak more than this sentence 'visit Argo, she has the information you're looking for.' Argo and Liz were childhood friends of mine, I knew them both pretty well up till the SAO incident and after I knew them better than myself.

"Caylee!"

My half blank gaze flickered over to the voice and my eyebrows raised in surprise. Klein, Liz, Silica, and Sugu were standing there near Argo who was sitting on her motorbike and looked rather moody at the moment. I already knew why, Asuna was dead. Or supposedly to them she was anyway. And I had to let them believe that till I could fix it, till I got Asuna out of my uncle's lab. I had met all of them through Argo and Kirito when a year ago Argo had practically dragged me from my school to hack into ALO and look for a player name 'Asuna' to confirm she was there.

With a sigh that showed my rather fake disinterest and caused a cloud of cold air to briefly obscure my vision, I started to walk toward them. "Klein, Liz, Sugu, Silica," I greeted with a remaining flat tone, controlling my tone to avoid any questions I didn't want to answer. "Usually Argo's the only one to pick me up, what's wrong."

Liz crossed her arms, "you know very well what's wrong Caylee, you were there!"

I looked blankly at her, "I wasn't there in ALO that day. If I had I would've killed the hack before it did any damage."

 _Smack!_

My back hit the metal gate of my school's yard and pain shot up my spine and back. I kept my expression neutral beyond the faint twitching of my eyebrows and looked flatly at the man holding me against the gate with a bandana in his red hair. "Kindly put me down."

Instead Klein lifted me up, his fists balled around the fabric of my dark blue coat, till my toes barely brushed the ground. "Why didn't you stop it?!"

I could see everyone else's shock at Klein's actions, especially when I was a girl, but none of them bothered to help me. Like they wanted the answer to. Only Argo looked down at her bike, looking to be lost and torn in what she should say and or do. "Because unlike what you believe I am not your personal hacker," I responded in a cool tone and let Klein do what he wanted. My breathing was beginning to get constricted from my own medical problems, but at the moment I couldn't care. If this was what he needed, a literal punching bag, then I could be one for him. I knew Asuna wasn't dead, so I could act and pretend I didn't care all I wanted when I already knew the truth but couldn't tell them.

I saw Klein's teeth grind together and tensed up to take Klein's punch after what I said next. "I had a job to to outside of the game despite the hack, I was aware of it but didn't do anything." Now that was a fat lie. In reality I had been there irl with Asuna during the fatal hack and barely managed to kick the thug's pathetic excuse of a butt without getting myself killed in the process. But I had been in the middle of clearing and deleting the hack before the fight and my laptop had been smashed to pieces and stained with blood after it.

 _Crunch._

I could taste blood now, from the punch to the mouth I was just given. Instead of spitting out the blood now pooling in my mouth I forced a half smirk, "it's my fault." For that smart alex comment I got another punch. Now my mouth and jaw were aching along with my split lip and the blood pooling inside my mouth.

"Klein!" Sugu gasped, and I could see Liz pull Silica around to protect her from what Klein was doing.

Lifting my chin into a more arrogant position, I spoke again. "I didn't bother to stop the hack-" this time I was cut off by Klein putting me down and socking me in the stomach. I could see the tears in his eyes and let him punch me again, this time between the shouldblades when I bent over my stomach to protect myself in a half hearted fashion.

"That's enough!" Argo, her small figure stepped between me and Klein, and from her voice I could tell she was angry, but her anger was dulled by grief, loss, and upset.

"It's her fault!" Klein spat at Argo and balled his fists, "it's that cheater's fault!"

I remained on one knee, feeling my already messed up spin now aching rather badly to the point where I wanted to go home take a medication and sleep for a day. "Feel better?" I asked Klein and spit out a mouthful of blood, the crimson liquid now glistening on the frosty sidewalk. I lifted my head to look at him, keeping one of my eyes shut as a way to balance my pain levels. I didn't regret letting Klein get his anger out, I just wished my body was a little stronger.

When Klein just stared at me in shock, I explained and let Argo help me up into a hunched standing position. "I knew you wanted someone to blame, so why not blame the hacker capable of deleting the hack?" I spoke, my voice was a little raspy after the hits to the face. "Now I know you don't usually hit girls, but hey. I'm probably one of the only hackers you know not counting computer nerds Argo and Kirito. So I let you hit me. Feel any better?"

"W-What?" Klein asked with a confused expression while Argo helped me by pulling one of my arms over her slim shoulders.

"I gave you an outlet," I explained and spit out more blood, "you wanted someone to blame and rage at so I gave you one. Now, for the question you were all going to ask me," I straightened up and winced when fresh bouts of pain shot up my spine. "What did you need?"

Liz cleared her throat and stepped forward, Silicar peering cautiously at me and Klein. "We wanted your help on finding out how to stop the hack in ALO."

I lifted one hand and wiped the blood from my stinging split lip, "I already stopped it. That's why you can't find any traces of the program," I secretly enjoyed the look of shock of their faces. "I'm already working on finding the person responsible and tracking down the security camera footage of the hospital." Now that bit I couldn't give them, not till I figured out how to get Asuna and Kirito to meet without setting off any alarms.

"Oh," Liz said and I saw her blink in surprise. "To be honest I thought we were going to have to bribe you."

I tried to smile but decided not to at the last minute, "normally you would with a video game or some kind of chocolate, but this is for a friend. It's for Kirito, to help him find closure." _Closure, something they all want. When in reality Asuna's still here, just hidden in a lab in an area I don't have access to._

* * *

 _ **Sneak Preview**_

 _Asuna took a deep breath and spluttered, sitting on her knees and staring at the person in front of her, separated between thick glass of the test tube, and soaked with a pale blue transparent liquid. Her dark colored haired was sticking to her face, her light gray shirt and jeans were drenched, her brown eyes were gazing distantly at Asuna, and blood was running with the liquid on her face. "Oh my gosh," Asuna's breath hitched, "Caylee, what… what did they do to you?"_

 _Caylee's chest was heaving for air, but she was definitely alive, even after the GM had drawn his sword across her face. Her brown eyes, which in the game had sparkled with a rather smug intelligence were now distant and blind. "It's my punishment for saving you," she said through her panting and stood up, "totally worth it though. Can you make it out or should I break more of it?"_

 _Asuna however grasped Caylee by the face and pulled her toward her enough that she could closely examine Caylee's injury. "They…" her voice wavered, "they blinded you? For helping me?"_

 _Caylee rolled her blind eyes and pulled away from Asuna, "yes, yes, we can cry and whine about my lost eyesight later. We have to leave now or I'm not going to get you out of here."_

 _Asuna's amber eyes flickered over to the only other occupied tube, where a boy Caylee's age resided. "What about Brody?"_

 _Caylee flinched and her brown eyes threatened to well with tears. "I have to leave him here. He's happy in the VR world."_

 _Asuna looked concerned, "but he's-"_

" _Thea makes him happy," Caylee responded quickly and cut her off, "Brody's happy with Thea as an AI in the VR world. If I shut off the power here it'll be more helpful for him than if I left him here to slowly die."_

" _But wouldn't he leave the VR world too?" Asuna asked as she shakily got to her feet and watched as Caylee smashed more of the tube with an accuracy that surprised her for a newly blind person._

" _No, I did a scan similar to Kyaba's, but this one will let him live as an AI with Thea in ALO forever." Caylee finishing smashing the tube and took a step back, "Can you get out now? I have to shut his off."_

" _Caylee…" Asuna spoke, trying to convince her somehow they could get Caylee's significant other from the lab as well. "We-"_

" _I'm not changing my mind," Caylee responded stiffly and managed to make her way over toward Brody's pod without much issue. "It… It's what's best for him. He doesn't want to wake up, that's why had hasn't woken up yet."_

 _Asuna managed to shakily step out of her tube and was beyond grateful for the thin sandals Caylee had prepared earlier so that she wouldn't damage her feet. "Caylee he loves you…" Asuna had met Brody in the VR world ALO and Perfection, Caylee's own creation, and everytime Brody talked about his in game wife Thea and his best friend Caylee. Caylee had been a relationship with Brody before she had entered SAO to try and hack it into allowing players to logout. But she had been trapped for two years, while Brody had been the one waiting for her to wake up. Unfortunately for Caylee, when she had escaped the game with everyone else, Brody had moved on, leaving the poor girl confused and rather alone._

" _Maybe," Caylee responded, and it was the first time Asuna had heard her actually admit that she knew Brody would always have a place in his heart for his best friend, "but I love him enough that I'm going to save him." She managed to accurately press a few keys on the keypad she was next to and grasped the thin lever, her arm shaking as she fought for the courage to shut off the power. It would let her imprisoned first love to leave this world but remain in VR forever, to live how he wanted without his imprisonment holding him back._

 _Asuna's knees shook and she leaned against the tube looking at Caylee with a heartbroken expression, like her heart was breaking for the choice Caylee was making._

 _Eventually, through tears trickling down her freckled cheeks and one of her hands pressed against the glass, Caylee yanked down hard on the lever and ran from the glass and toward Asuna. Without a word the brown haired girl crouched down, put Asuna's arms over her shoulders, and pulled Asuna ino a piggy back ride. Shen then started running down the hall, away from the testing chambers and toward the exit where Asuna would be free._

 _Asuna however kept looking back at the chambers even as alarms started to go off, that boy had been to Caylee like what Kirito was to her. Asuna knew she wouldn't have had enough strength to pull that lever and save someone else, she doubted many people would have. So Asuna silently wrapped her trembling arms comfortingly around Caylee's shoulders and leaned forward into a small hug while Caylee ran, her memory guiding her through the twists and turns of the hallways._

 _But Asuna could feel Caylee's shoulders shaking, and could hear the uneven breathing of someone fighting their tears._


	12. What if? (SAO, IRL)

_**~quidditchick6~**_

 _I'm pretty happy with that AU storyline. It's particularly sad and pulls on the heartstrings, but it's one of my best ones so far. Thx for understanding! I'll definitely upload when I can and let you guys know if I can't for a long period of time._

 _ **~K2-Black-Panther~**_

 _It's a rather sad storyline, but I'm hoping it turns out well in the end!_

 _I read them! And they're all really good!_

* * *

 _ **They're getting longer and longer XD But here's another chapter! Posted late at night buut it's uploaded! :D**_

* * *

 _What if...?_

"Game over Kirito…" Heathcliff's words rang in his ears, this was the end. He had failed, failed to clear the game and release the thousands of people still trapped here in the game with him. But on top of everything else he had failed Asuna. He had failed to bring her back to the real world, he had broken his promise. _Asuna… Finish the game and keep living…_ He thought to himself as he could only stare at the sword blade currently on its path to slice through his body.

A moment later he could only stare in shock and horror as familiar caramel colored long hair and a slim figure darted in front of him. With her own sword thrust forward in a jabbing fashion. The beautiful rapier looked like a shooting star as Asuna, with her intense speed, forced her blade into Heathcliff's stomach. Leaving herself completely vulnerable.

Heathcliff's hp began to drain, but too slow to cause his sword to stop moving. His sword, glowing with a red sword skill, sliced through the air and caught Asuna from one shoulder to the opposite hip. A fatal blow to Asuna's already critically low health.

With a silent cry of pain, Asuna's grip on her rapier slackened and she stumbled back a few steps, back toward a horrified Kirito.

"Asuna!"

 _Shooting star That was how Kirito described the cloaked figure sprinting across the labyrinth with a thin Iron Rapier held in their right hand. They looked like a shooting star by the way their red cloak fluttered, giving off polygons due to the lowering durability of the fabric, and the way their sword glowed, causing trails of bright purple light to scatter over their body. The trails sparkled, like mini stars breaking off of the main star that was the rapier user and their sword skill._

 _It was beautiful and unique, and definitely something Kirito had never expected to see. He didn't know that many players that actually used rapiers, most of them used a much heavier sword instead of the swift and light rapiers. When the player went through the monster they were facing without slowing down, Kirito could've sworn he was watching a meteor shower of beautiful sparks and stars. The player's sword skill faded but they continued to move that fast, their speed couldn't be just the system's assist, they were skilled. Highly skilled for someone who was still stuck on the first floor just like him. Kirito watched, enthralled by the explosions of polygons and shooting star like player, making a beautiful and deadly display of skill. Sure it was overkill what the player was doing, consecutive Liner sword skills one after another, but it made Kirito nostalgic for the stars back home visible every night in the clean air. Only after all of the monsters in the area were gone did the player stop to rest. Leaning forward on their rapier and Kirito could hear their raspy breathing from his current position._

 _Still, he had to find out who they were. With skills like that, that player could easily rise to the top and one day maybe even clear the game. If he didn't get to it first. "That's overkill you know," he decided to say eventually, silently checking if they were a beginner or a well-versed player._

" _Over… Overkill?" The person spoke and turned to look at him, the light cast on her hood and face from the dim lights in the labyrinth only highlighted her eyes, which were revealed to be bright and clear amber._

 _However, Kirito had to stop and think, not to mention breathe at the crystal clear pools that were the girl's amber eyes. The player's voice… He was standing in front of one of the few female players in the game. A new player, a girl no less, with skills that rivaled his own despite not having been in the Beta test. "Overkill, meaning you could've just jabbed at them instead of wasting your mental energy with multiple sword skills."  
_ " _Oh." The girl the shrugged, "I'm fine."_

 _Kirito looked at the girl, looking half concerned by the way she was leaning heavily on her rapier, like she was going to pass out right here and now. However, instead, he just shrugged and nodded. This girl was a shooting star, a unique and special player who was just as unique as a beautiful star. "Okay, at least let me help you."_

Kirito caught Asuna before she could fall back too far, "Noo…" his voice was hushed as he stared at her in shock and horror. "Asuna…"

 _Kirito could tell that Asuna was giving him a funny look from beneath her white hood. The cloak hid most of her KoB armor, which allowed her to have some peace, and gave her the space she couldn't receive otherwise without it._

" _If you're taking me to another horror floor I'll gut you with my rapier." Asuna stated half-heartedly from beneath her white cloak, and Kirito grinned without her seeing it._

 _He knew Asuna hated ghosts, no she was terrified of them. But that wasn't what he had planned today, he was determined to convince the KoB second in command to just relax for a day. So he was heading toward the tree she had fallen asleep under after he had convinced her to just lay down in the grass. He knew even without being around her a lot lately that she pushed herself way too far way too quickly. She had done the same thing since the beginning back when he first met her on the first floor's labyrinth and had no doubt that she had changed much since. "There are no ghosts. The most hostile creature around would be another player."_

 _Asuna's cloak rustled as she lightly shook her head, "whatever Kirito-kun."_

 _Kirito's smile widened when he felt Asuna discreetly thread her fingers lightly through his, holding his pinkie and ring finger in her own for discretion. 'I wouldn't have it any other way.'_

Kirito held Asuna in his arms, half crouching with Asuna laying across his arms and her hp bar going down to zero. "Asuna… I…"

Asuna's amber eyes forced open and her head turned to look at him. She looked tired, exhausted like she could sleep for years and not recover any of her energy. Her amber eyes were dulling, and her hold on reality slipped a little more, making her eyes glaze slightly. "I'm sorry," she breathed, beautiful amber eyes focused on his face despite her struggle to stay awake as her hp drained to nothing.

" _Asuna," Kirito spoke quietly and brushed Asuna's bangs from her face, "you're beautiful." He rarely said such things out loud. Preferring to smother her in affection when they were alone instead, but this time he said it to see Asuna's reaction._

 _Asuna's cheeks flushed an embarrassed pink, and she hid her pink face in the blankets, leaving just the strap of her pink nightgown and her shoulder able to be clearly seen. Her sleepy amber eyes were rather adorable by the rather shy hint in the amber depths, and it had been part of why Kirito had spoken his thoughts aloud this morning. She didn't say anything or go to hit him though and instead stayed where she was, half asleep and drowsy._

 _So Kirito took it as a good sign and scooted closer to her. Till his face was a mere few inches from her own and the blankets partially hiding her face. Kirito rested one arm around her waist and tugged her closer to him with a soft smile. "It's true," he said, feeling particularly happy and relaxed today after being able to wake up before Asuna and quietly watch his beautiful in-game wife sleep peacefully._

" _Mhmm," Asuna responded with a soft mumble and half closed her eyes, letting Kirito tug the blankets away from her face so that he could see her face properly._

 _Kirito's half closed as well and he nudged Asuna's nose lightly with his own, waking her up just a little more. "You're supposed to go help your guild today remember?"_

 _Asuna made a rather adorable grumble of refusal and shut her eyes completely, apparently determined to sleep for the rest of the morning and ignore her guild responsibilities. "Rather spend the morning with you," she mumbled, the words only half-audible and heavy with her sleepy status. She lightly pushed on his chest with her hands as she gave a sleepy attempt of pushing him onto his back._

 _Kirito compiled and rolled onto his back, but he continued to look at her even when she scooted closer and snuggled up to his chest. Her head resting sleepily on his shoulder with one leg bent at the knee and her arm now laying across his chest. "Mkay," he eventually agreed, perfectly happy with Asuna skipping her guild duties to remain at home snuggled with him. "Just don't blame me," he added on as an afterthought and curled one arm around Asuna's upper back, his fingers laying splayed on her warm skin._

" _No promises," Asuna responded in a muffled mumble and pushed her cheek against his shirt for a moment to find a more comfortable position that would let her go back to sleep._

" _Mhm," Kirito half complained, but he would take the blame if it meant he could have more time spent alone with his wife._

 _Kirito's eyes blinked open a moment later at a smaller weight flop next to him on the bed on the other side._

" _Daddy!" Yui blinked happily at her father, "I'm hungry!"_

 _In Kirito's sleepy haze he couldn't help but reflect briefly on out much Yui looked like Asuna. Long rather straight hair, a small nose, tapered chin, slim body type, and perfectly almond shaped eyes. "Hi Yui," He sleepily mumbled, "can you wait till Mommy wakes up?" He peered at his daughter through drowsy eyes, "she's taking a break this morning and needs her sleep."_

 _In response Yui snuggled up to her father's open side, silver eyes gazing up at her father and at her peacefully sleeping mother. "Okay Daddy," she snuggled with them, the small family all enjoying the lazy morning._

 _Asuna, however, did stir at Yui's voice and would've opened her eyes were it not for Kirito lightly kissing the top of her head and murmuring that she could go back to sleep and that Yui had joined them._

"Noo… Asuna, you can't!" Kirito's voice grew heavy with despair, "don't leave me!" He half gasped half pleaded, "you can't die!"

Asuna's health bar vanished with a long beep and her body started to glow, the beginnings of a player death in the game. "I love you, so much…"

"Nooo!" Kirito cried, cradling her body to his chest like it would stop her from leaving him, "Asuna!"

Asuna's eyes closed and she broke into hundreds of polygons, polygons that Kirito tried desperately tried to grab and bring back together.

"Asuna…" Kirito's voice was half-strangled as he stumbled forward, trying to stop Asuna from leaving him. "Asuna!" The teenager fell to his knees and gave a heart-wrenching cry, "Asuna!"

He was too emotionally falling apart that he didn't notice Kyaba fading and breaking into similar polygons. Asuna was gone… His wife was dead... His vision was suddenly filled with white and he blinked, a hospital room slowly coming into view, making Kirito grasp the Nervegear on his head and just stare at the ceiling above him. Asuna was dead…

Time seemed to blur until a day later he was told finally of Asuna's condition.

"Asuna… Asuna Yuuki's dead Kirigya. The nerve gear killed her seconds before the system logouts began."

Kirito didn't want to believe it, he wanted to believe Asuna had made it out, that she was somewhere waiting for him to find her and be her knight in shining black armor armed with two swords and a love for her that would never die. "Noo…" Kirito's voice was barely audible, hardly more than a whisper as the news really sunk in. "No!" Kirito grasped his thick black hair with both hands and vigorously shook his head, "she can't!" He hunched over, not noticing his aunt's comforting hand on his trembling back. "Asuna! ASUNA!"

* * *

"ASUNA!" Kirito jerked awake with a loud yell and nearly smacked heads with his sister Sugu who had been trying to shake him awake. Kirito's onyx colored eyes were wide and he was trembling from head to toe, trembling from fear and the disorientation of waking up from the dream. "I have to get to her," he mumbled under his breath and kicked off his blankets, paying no attention to his sister as he shoved his shoes on and snatched his jacket from the floor.

"Kazuto-" Sugu tried to tell her brother something, only to have him mumbled under his breath in a rather feverish manner and move even faster. Until however Sugu grabbed him semi harshly by the upper arm. "Kazuto!" She yelled, trying to snap him from his stupor. When he looked at her blankly, Sugu took a deep breath and continued. "Mom already went and got her, Asuna should be here any moment."

The words didn't register for a few moments, the black haired boy struggled to understand that Asuna was still alive, that she was healthy and on her way there to his house. He was still trembling from head to toe from the strength of his dream, and right now nothing could reassure him it was a dream unless he saw Asuna for himself.

A moment later though his bedroom door opened completely and his aunt Midori was leading a blurry eyed Asuna into the room. With one of Asuna's arms pulled over her shoulders to help Asuna walk while half asleep. Asuna was wearing a light pink thin strapped camisole with a rather ruffled hem, white mid-thigh length shorts, and had one of Kirito's black jackets draped over her shoulders. Clearly Midori had dragged Asuna out of bed without letting her change or anything in her haste to get her there, and by the way Asuna looked; she had pulled her out of a rather good dream that usually left Asuna as drowsy and confused when she woke up as she was right now.

Kirito dropped the jacket, kicked off the shoes, and rushed toward Asuna, pushed her against a wall and pulled her into a tight embrace, trembling as he held Asuna to his body. He had Asuna lifted higher than him with his arms wrapped around her lower back so that he could easily hear her sleepy heartbeat. So that he could reassure himself that she was there by pressing his ear to her warm skin and the neckline of her shirt and listen to her sleep lazy heartbeat. Asuna was alive and was currently held tightly in his arms. It was really her, she was safe and sound, alive and well.

Asuna made a rather sleepy noise and crossed her legs around his waist with one arm looped lazily around his neck and had her free hand gently carding through his thick hair. Her amber eyes were drowsily half closed and closing as she leaned her head back against the wall and kept softly running her fingers through his hair.

Kirito heard Sugu's gasp of surprise at his rather harsh actions of pushing Asuna against the wall but paid no attention. He was still trembling like a leaf and breathing hard. He inhaled a deep breath of Asuna's scent, a smell more prominent than usual likely from her soap. The honey vanilla smell helped calm his racing heart and helped still his trembling even as he felt Asuna's hand still and heard her sleepily humming the BGM of floor twenty-two back in SAO. The music they had listened to day after day and learned to enjoy. She missed a few notes every now and then as she nodded off and blurrily woke herself to continue.

Kirito's racing heart slowly slowed to a more normal pace and the trembling stopped as he listened to Asuna's slow heartbeat and sleep ridden humming while being able to feel her body heat and the familiar sensation of her running her fingers soothingly through his hair. Now able to focus on the rest of the world he could hear Midori, Sugu, and someone else whispering softly to each other, something about Asuna staying over and the current situation. His attention was pulled to Asuna again when she spoke in a drowsy mumble.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Asuna asked in a sleep slurred mumbled, "the nightmare I mean."

Kirito lightly shook his head, not lifting it from where he could listen to her heartbeat, tears welling in his eyes at thinking back on the nightmare. He turned his head and hid his face in her chest, trembling again but from tears this time and not awake enough to be his typical socially awkward self. If he was completely awake he would be red in the face right now, but he wasn't. He was half asleep and tormented by his nightmare of this girl dying and leaving him forever. He could hear her heartbeat clearer like this and could hide his tears from everyone else in the room. Able to hide in the protection only Asuna could offer him at the current moment.

Asuna seemed to guess what the dream had been about anyway and put her cheek on Kirito's head. The vibrations from her humming helped calm him while she struggled to not completely fall asleep. After almost two months after the ALheim incident and five after SAO she and Kirito had hoped the nightmares were over. But they weren't. Asuna had nightmares about what had happened to her at Sugou's hands and Kirito had nightmares about when she had jumped in front of Heathcliff's sword. They were both haunted by those days, yet Asuna more often than not had dreams around her time with Kirito and Yui in their log cabin on floor twenty-two.

Kirito heard Asuna's humming fade and felt her breathing slow and deepen when she finally fell asleep, giving in to her drowsiness. However, he stayed where he was for a few more moments. The trembling had finally stopped, his heart wasn't racing anymore, and he felt shaken instead of deadly terrified. While he stayed in one place he listened to the three other voices in the room.

"Mr. Yuuki," Sugu was saying quietly, "my brother went through so much in SAO, most of which he won't tell anyone, but Asuna was there with him the entire time. She knows exactly what happened and probably already figured out what he had had the nightmare about. Kazuto started calling your daughter's name in a panic for fifteen minutes before he actually woke up. Something in his nightmare involved her, I wouldn't be surprised if it was something to do with the video posted online about Kirito and Heathcliff's duel. We did see Asuna die in the game."

"I know," Asuna's father sighed, "but her mother will panic if she finds out Asuna's over here with a boy when she wants her to be going through the suitors she selects for her."

Midori spoke quietly, "just this once let your daughter be with my son. They won't do anything beyond sleeping, their both asleep on their feet, and you know it's strange for them to be split up like this. They were married in the game Shouzou, meaning despite the fact that it's not a legal marriage in the real world, they lived as and were a married couple. Then Asuna went missing and now they aren't allowed to have any of the moments they should be able to share with each other after having a relationship like they did in the game."

Mr. Yuuki sighed, "alright, I'll stop by on my way to work in the morning with Asuna's school uniform and an overnight bag." By the way he stopped talking, Kirito could guess that he was looking at his sleeping daughter. "Are you sure your son won't do anything to my daughter?" he asked hesitantly, "that position isn't exactly innocent…"

"When he's hiding his tears from everyone it is," Midori pointed out while Sugu blinked briefly in confusion at the innuendo. "Kirito started by just listening to her heartbeat remember? He's probably hiding his tears right now and is looking to Asuna for comfort even though she's now asleep."

Kirito heard Asuna mumble something sleepily into his dark colored hair and knew it was time to put her down and let her sleep properly. So he carefully set her down on her feet for a second only to sweep her up into a close bridal style position and gently deposit her down onto the bed.

Kirito's cheeks pinkened at Asuna's next mumble, "I love you, Kirito," and hoped only he could hear it as he hesitated. Asuna's father didn't want him touching his daughter, so that ruled out sleeping alongside her. So where was he supposed to go? The couch. Kirito gently tugged the second pillow away from Asuna, who had pulled it into her arms, and picked up a blanket off of the floor.

"Where're you going Kirigaya?" Mr. Yuuki asked the boy in a decent amount of confusion.

Kirito looked over at him, "I'm going to sleep on the couch sir," he responded and continued toward the door. He wanted more than anything that that moment to hold Asuna close, listen to her familiar rumbling breathing, be able to escape the nightmares plaguing him by her presence next to him and go to sleep. Sleep with his significant other held securely in his arms, nestled comfortably against his chest where she belonged. However, he knew it there was a very slim chance of her father actually allowing him to stay there, next to Asuna. So he had decided on the couch despite his personal opinions.

Asuna's father looked rather conflicted as Kirito exited the room, but his decision was made for him when Asuna forced open sleep ridden amber eyes and got to her feet. Apparently, she hadn't been completely asleep, awake just enough to listen to the tiny conversation. "Kito," she spoke the nickname in a slurred mumbled followed Kirito, her footsteps a little uneven. No doubt she had been up late studying with likely only an hour or two of sleep before Midori and brought her to Kirito.

Kirito paused in the hallway and turned around to be facing Asuna, "stay here and go to sleep Asuna," he spoke to his girlfriend, the term did no justice to the kind of relationship they had had in SAO, "I'm going downstairs."

"You'll have another nightmare," Asuna half grunted and wrapped her arms insistently around Kirito's middle as if trying in her sleepy state to keep him in one place.

Kirito's eyes flickered to her father before he responded to Asuna, "I'll be fine. You're worrying too much." He dropped his voice and added on a rather rare endearment. "You're more tired than me, hun."

Asuna let her head rest against the front of Kirito's neck and shut her eyes at the endearment. "Nightmare," she mumbled simply in a stubborn fashion.

Kirito said nothing and just stood with his arms pinned, looking rather worn out and tired.

"Just go to sleep Kirigaya," Asuna's father sighed and moved past them to leave the house. "However, if you do anything to my daughter I will set a very hefty lawyer against you."

Kirito's adam's apple briefly bobbed as he nodded. However, once Mr. Yuuki past him he leaned over and lightly pressed a short kiss to Asuna's head, lingering for a few moments with his nose buried in her silky hair. "I love you," he spoke in a rather relieved mumble and Asuna just giggled sleepily.

* * *

 _What if Asuna had really died? What would Kirito have done? Keep on living despite knowing that his companion in life was dead?_

 _ **I heard the song "Just a Dream" on the radio and found out that there were more than a few AMVs with Kirito and Asuna in the song. So I listened to it more than a few times and ended up writing this. I don't really know where most of it came from like most of the one-shots buut it's good so who cares? XD**_


	13. Falling Through the Sky (ALO)

_**~luchux~**_

 _I am ashamed to not have even thought about having Yui as a real human character before… But I'm working on that request too, I'm really excited for the finished product for that one!_

 _I'm really excited that you've loved the collection so far, and I will do Yui as a human, that concept is fascinating to me!_

 _ **~quidditchchick~**_

 _I agree with you. After SAO Asuna was everything to Kirito, those two (or three with my AU) years really gave something for Kirito to live for. Especially if you follow the progressive series, he cares about Asuna so much even on just the 3rd floor of Aincrad. They constantly insist neither of them are a couple and yet Kirito is super hesitant to let Asuna leave, worried about what would happen to the beginner player. If Asuna really died Kirito would've been just a shell of himself when he returned, haunted by her last words and the fact that she was still waiting for him to come back to her._

 _ **~K2-Black-Panther~**_

 _I'm working on both of them still. The Sinon one is over halfway done, Kyouji has a gun in that one, and the Leafa one needs a few touch-ups here and there._

 _I like your Silica story, the one you showed me over Deviantart notes, the best actually, I really enjoy the concept._

 _ **~Anon~**_

 _Mwahahahaha! Yeah, I couldn't really kill of Asuna without killing off Kiriti as well and I can't do that to both of them._

 _Hmmm… alright, I'll try that one too!_

 _ **~rada-rada~**_

 _I don't think Kirito would commit suicide if Asuna does die, purely out of his love for Asuna. I think that Kirito knows Asuna would be crushed if he gave up his entire life ahead of him just to kill himself to be with her. Kirito would be miserable, but I think he wouldn't go that far to preserve Asuna's opinion about his strength and personality._

* * *

 _ **I have deemed life as being super annoying! Sorry about the long delay with this chapter, I've been wrapping up another collection for a different fandom and I got really busy with my new job. However, I'm back now and I should have another chapter out this week if I have time (Other chapter became a separate One-Shot, listed at the bottom). This is pretty short even for the short length of the other chapters, but I didn't want to stretch it out and potentially ruin it, so it's short.**_

* * *

 _Falling Through the Sky_

 **ALHeim (ALO)**

Falling through the sky was something Asuna used to have nightmares about. So never in a million years had she pictured herself actually enjoying a VR experience of literally falling through the soft blue skies. Yet here she was in ALO, currently falling through the sky. Of course, she had her eyes currently squeezed shut and was hugging Kirito beneath the shoulders with her head pressed to his chest purely out of fear. Doing this took all of her courage, and she was currently waiting for what Kirito had told her about. A point where the game's system executed a special command and slowed their falling speed to easily half of what it was now. "Kirito!" She yelled, barely audible from the rushing wind and where she was hiding her face from the rest of the world. "When's that thing gonna activate? My ears are gonna fall off!" Her long blue hair was billowing far above her head near her waist, periodically whipping against the fabric of her cloak and stinging her skin. She was pointed down head first, with Kirito mirroring her. Except he was holding her around the waist in a relaxed fashion while she was tensely gripping his cloak with both hands between his shoulder blades.

"Should be a few more seconds!" Kirito yelled back loud enough that she could hear him. Then he gently covered her pointy ears to shield them from the howling wind, that with her high listening skill was undoubtedly messing with her hearing big time. He felt Asuna relax a little as the howling wind in her ears faded and she moved her head into a more comfortable spot against his chest.

Then the thing he had promised Asuna to happen happened. They broke the main cloud cover and suddenly slowed down making Asuna's blue hair be softly lifted away from her body instead of it whipping at either of them. The wind that had been howling in their ears lessened to more of a soft breeze, and they could see almost all of ALheim from where they were high up in the sky.

Kirito removed his hands from Asuna's ears and loosely rested his clasped hands around her waist. Their clothes were barely rippling now, the collar of Kirito's black jacket stopped flapping, Asuna's skirt evened out, and the skirt like end of her cloak stilled for the most part as well, moving lightly but not flapping and creating any noise. "You can see all of ALheim from up here," Kirito said with a smile and looked softly at the blue haired Undine in his arms, "go on, open your eyes."

Asuna did as he suggested and rather cautiously lifted her head before she looked over Kirito's shoulder and her eyes widened. ALheim's sprawling landscapes were presented for her to see, the many islands and the rather large Aincrad floating in the sky a little ways away. "It… It's beautiful," she spoke in a whisper, blue eyes roaming over the many lands which almost sparkled like stars from high up here.

Kirito couldn't help it, "not as beautiful as you," he said in a cheesy way, but his onyx colored eyes were purely sincere. Asuna was beautiful normally, but with her currently blue tinted hair in the wind's grasp that made it flutter and move in a gentle pattern from the wind, and the faint stars behind her, she was perfect. Of course, she was perfect in the real world too, but when he got to see the inner swordsman spark she carried in a VR world her beauty doubled, always without fail. Even the blue hair and eyes in the game. Sure he was originally used to her caramel colored locks and amber eyes, but the blue gave the already beautiful girl a hint toward being a special jewel. A blue jewel that when the light hit it could light an entire room.

Asuna's cheeks tinted faintly red and for a moment simply looked at him, her blue eyes going over his Spriggan Avatar's face. But then she smiled a rather shy smile and moved a little closer to him. Adjusting her position so her face was even with his own. "That's cliche Kirito," she giggled, "terrible."

"But true," Kirito pointed out and gently pulled Asuna closer, his hands clasped together and arms curled around her waist in a close embrace. He could almost forget that they were falling through the air, it felt more like they were suspended on a cloud of air. A cloud that for the moment was there just for them. It was quiet and peaceful up in the VR world sky, giving them a well-needed break from the real world, and letting them be who they really were there on the inside.

Asuna's cheeks were pinker with Kirito's gentle gaze fixed on her and the currently blue-haired girl buried her face into Kirito's neck. "I love you," she muttered half inaudibly, her face getting redder with shyness from her rather shy nature behind the tsundere part of her.

* * *

 **Status of Current Requests**

 **Kirito Comforts Sinon after GGO Spin-Off "I Will, No WE Will Protect You"**

Halfway completed

 **Leafa Aids Kirito with Sugou (Guilded Hero Alt. Ending) "Who's Going to Save Kirito?"**

Almost finished needs some special dialogue and touching up

 **Yui's Actually Human "Our Child IRL and in VR"**

Up to the part where Kirito brings Yui to visit a sleeping Asuna

 **Asuna's Nightmare and Kirito's Rage "They Don't Stop… I'm So Sorry Asuna…"**

Not started just yet, sorry XD

* * *

 **Upcoming Named Chapters**

 _Kirito… Just Hold On A Little Longer…_

 _The Hacker, Hated or Loved?_

 _I want to go back! SAO is my home!_

* * *

 **Separate SAO Stories**

 _I'll wait for as long as it takes Kirito ~ Kirito has decided after being in a party with her for a year, that Asuna's potential is limitless. So she needs to be with a guild, the new third guild called the KoB. But to get her there he may have to push her away to get her to leave him and join the guild. However, one sentence stops him in his tracks 'Because I love you! I love you much to leave...' (Kirisuna)_ _ **(COMPLETED)**_


	14. I Want to go Back! SAO Is My Home! (IRL)

_**~K2-Black-Panther~**_

 _I like the names too, especially for the Kirito comforts Sinon one. It fits it beautifully with how the story is playing out so far. I may or may not include my OC in Leafa's depending on if I really want Sugou to die or not. Ehhh, I'll make a different one specifically for Caylee to take her revenge on Sugou._

 _I reviewed it! I was just busy so I couldn't till late today._

 _Yeah, Kyouji has a gun, Asuna and Kirito are armed with this fancy little pole like swords, and Sinon's armed with… A radio. Which she breaks Kouyji's grip with and grabs his discarded gun. Yeah, so far it's looking to be pretty complicated._

 _ **~Nanairo the Keyblade Samurai~**_

 _So I've modified your request a little bit. I'm making it so that Asuna and Kirito are online, but they're off doing something or other (haven't decided what yet) and so Leafa's watching Yui to make sure she's happy and stays out of Asuna and Kirito's hair. Other than that the request won't change since I like it how it is already! Keep a careful eye on the "Request Statuses" at the bottom of each chapter to see the progress of the request._

 _ **~Anon~**_

 _Thx! I'm really enjoying writing these as well! I like your request as well so keep an eye out. I think that one may be a little short though since I can do a series of flashbacks for the actual attack and have Kirito reflect on how the attack has affected Asuna. However, it'll still be good, don't worry._

* * *

 _ **This will eventually one day have a sequel when I don't have so many requests anyway. Btw if stuff doesn't make sense it's because I wrote this on literally 1 hour of sleep XD**_

* * *

 _I Want to Go Back! SAO Is My Home! AU_

"You're getting a break!" Liz suddenly told Asuna who was sitting at one of the tables in Agil's cafe with school supplies surrounding her everywhere. "You're going to strain your eyeballs Asuna and then you'll have to wear those dorky glasses everywhere." She grasped Asuna's left arm and moved to tug her away from the pile of books, "come on, we're having a sleepover at my house starting right now!"

Asuna tugged her arm from Liz's grip, her reading not faltering once as she continued to study. "Leave me alone Liz," the long-haired girl grumbled and picked up her school tablet's stylus once again.

Liz felt a little bad, she had heard that Asuna and Kirito had had a fight about something or other and that Kirito had gone camping with his aunt and sister right after. So Asuna no doubt felt terrible as of right now and had since Wednesday. So she temporarily gave up and sat down across from Asuna with her chin resting on her hands, watching her.

Asuna studiously picked up her stylus and continued to fill out the assignment she was working on, working out the math problems without too much of a struggle and barely touching her calculator.

Okay, now Liz knew she felt really, really, bad. Asuna was known for her rather large expansive vocabulary and mind behind her tsundere personality and good looks, and yet Liz had noticed she had a habit of not using it unless she really wanted to. So she was used to Asuna using a calculator when she wasn't in the mood to really take her time or occupy her mind. "What's on your mind Suna?" she asked, using a nickname she had had for Asuna back in SAO, which had ended just over six months ago. It was still weird not being in SAO, where she got up every morning, said hello to the other inhabitants of the cabins on floor twenty-two, eat whatever Asuna had prepared for breakfast that morning, lingered around till about two unless they did a quest, and walked casually across to the street to her blacksmith shop where she made people smile with new weapons or made repairs for weapons. Even then, Liz knew she had nothing compared to what Asuna had had in the game and no doubt missed. Sure, she and the others, Sugu, Silica, Sinon _**(borrowing some of the Hollow Realization facts :P)**_ , Argo, and sometimes the hacker Caylee, were brought together to one place under Asuna and Kirito's direction for safety reasons, but it wasn't like they were just like them. Asuna and Kirito were married for a year in the three-year long game and had adopted Yui, their daughter. So Liz had little idea what they went through beyond the funny moments and little things she had witnessed herself before and after they were a couple and married.

* * *

 _Liz had to bit her tongue to keep from laughing. She and Kirito had returned late from fighting the dungeon for the ingot for his new sword, and it looked like he had messed up which room was his. But it looked like he was already aware of that, judging by the rather nervous and scared expression the Black Swordsman had on his face at the moment. His eyes were wide open and staring now at Liz, not sure what to do, and Liz didn't blame him._

 _Asuna was asleep next to him, with her back to his chest and her head resting on his upper arm. Her feet were tangled with his and her arms were curled around his arm near his wrist with a pillow wedged between her arms and pushed against her front. Kirito seemed to have had his free arm around her waist but had tried to remove it only to freeze in place. However, Asuna looked extremely comfortable stretched out in Kirito's embrace with his body heat keeping her warm with the blanket tangled at her ankles and partway off the bed._

 _Liz put her hands over her mouth to stifle her giggles, this was priceless. Asuna had shyly admitted to her a little while ago after lots of begging and pleading that she was in love with Kirito, but she hadn't found out if it was just one-sided or Kirito loved her too. Which despite Liz's crush on Kirito, would be the best thing ever._

 _Kirito looked pleadingly at her with onyx colored puppy eyes and tried to clearly get her to help him. He was probably terrified of what would happen if Asuna woke up to being pretty much spooned by him._

 _Liz took no mercy on him and removed her hands from her mouth after quickly taking a picture with a photo crystal and uploading the picture to her SAO cloud. She hoped it would make it outside of SAO where she could tease them one day about it. She then cupped her mouth with one hand and leaned on one hip, a smirk covering her features. "Asuna! Kirito's being a perv!"_

 _Asuna oddly enough didn't move more than an inch toward waking up. If anything, she mumbled something about annoying blacksmiths and used her arms to sleepily push herself closer to Kirito before she gave a soft sigh and her expression relaxed again._

 _Kirito looked even more panicked at Asuna's nonexistant waking up and seemed to struggle to suppress a jolt when she pressed her back more firmly against his chest. The teenage boy awkwardly didn't move and looked at Liz in the same pleading manner, 'help me!'_

 _Liz was surprised, usually, Asuna woke up right before eight like clockwork, but it was nearing ten now and Asuna was still asleep. "Jeez, did you give her a sleeping-draught or something? Wait, are those even in SAO?" She wondered briefly before she looked at Kirito, still speaking in a normal tone. "How am I supposed to help you, you're the one who collapsed in here instead of your room."_

" _Asuna will kill me!" Kirito hissed and looked a little nervously at her over Asuna's head. "Come on, I'll give you anything! I swear!"_

 _Liz mulled it over before she shrugged her shoulders, "Alright, you owe me another Crystallite Ingot for a new sword for Asuna. However," she smirked cheekily, "if she wakes up I'm denying everything and telling her you came in here this morning and cuddled up to her."_

 _Kirito paled and hesitated before he hastily agreed when Asuna shifted her position a little, twisting her head and relaxing back against his chest. "Okay, okay, but no trying to wake her up again, deal?"_

* * *

Liz was startled from her memories by the sound of Asuna putting her stylus on the table along with the red-rimmed glasses she currently had the bridge of her nose. Asuna wore glasses occasionally since she had escaped Sugou's grasp due to after effects from the three year and four-month long coma. Even then though, she didn't wear them often, only when she felt the stress she was under a lot more than normal, had a headache, or because she had strained her eyes.

"L-Rika," Asuna quickly corrected her habit in calling Liz by her SAO name, "do you need something besides pulling me away from my studies?" She asked in a rather tired and snappy tone like her patience had been tried enough this week.

Liz flinched at the unexpected tone and words from the caramel haired girl and frowned, "okay, what's wrong with you Asuna?" She demanded rather harshly, "I get that you're upset because of your fight with Kirito, but even I don't deserve to get the cold shoulder this time!"

Asuna looked blankly at her for a moment before she leaned back in her chair and sighed. The sound was tired and defeated like she was giving up. "I'm sorry," she apologized before she lifted on hand to rub tiredly at one of her rather sad amber eyes. "I know you don't and I didn't mean to do that to you."

Liz crossed her arms over her chest, "sounded pretty genuine to me."

Asuna winced and looked guiltily at her. "I'm sorry," she apologized for the second time and rubbed both of her eyes with both hands, "I'm just…" She took a moment to think and sighed again, "I'm _really_ tired," she finished lamely.

"Sounds more like you're beating yourself up for your fight with Kirito and him leaving," Liz pointed out and even glanced at the school tablet in front of Asuna to check a hunch. "You're even doing _his_ classwork and homework." Liz knew she hit the nail on the head when Asuna slumped her shoulders and tried to give a sheepish smile.

"You caught me," Asuna said with a rather bad attempt at a sheepish smile which dropped a moment later, "but I am really tired. I still feel terrible."

Liz leaned back in her chair and relaxed her body language, appearing less angry and more concerned. "All couples argue," she pointed out after scrutinizing Asuna's face. Asuna really did look tired, Liz hadn't really noticed before with how often Asuna had been hiding in a corner somewhere and avoiding everyone since her fight with Kirito. Asuna's usual confident aura seemed to flicker all the time, she had half hidden bags under her eyes, and she didn't have her signature braid at the back of her head done up.

Asuna looked even more miserable and lightly shrugged her shoulders, "sure, but not like this." She fixed her gaze on the table in front of her, "it's my fault anyway."

"How? It takes two people to argue unless you're arguing with a sock puppet," Liz snorted, now curious at what had happened to make Asuna so down in the dumps. She had heard a bunch of their bantering arguments and knew that they were both headstrong, Asuna more than Kirito, but not once had Kirito up and left for a few days while Asuna's guilt ate at her from the inside.

Asuna fidgeted and fixed her gaze more firmly on the table, "I don't want to talk about it…"

Liz looked at her for a moment, making Asuna squirm uncomfortably under Liz's gaze, and eventually spoke, "okay. But you have to come with me and relax for today. You're going to make yourself sick with all of your guiltiness and I'd rather not have a dorky glasses always wearing friend who's way too pretty to have those glasses making her nerdy."

Asuna smiled weakly, "okay, but I have to find Caylee first."

The mentioned hacker slid into a chair next to Liz, "I heard my name," the fellow SAO survivor said half vaguely before she nodded at Liz and smiled at Asuna, "what's up A-chan?" She said with the name she had taken from Argo.

Asuna pulled a thin thumb drive from her pocket and tossed it to her, a rather conflicted expression on her face, "will you take care of the project tonight instead of tomorrow?"

Caylee's eyebrows knitted together, "even though Kirito's not here? I thought it was supposed to boot up with him around?"

Asuna swallowed a little hard and shrugged, poking at the table, "it doesn't matter, it'll still be a surprise."

"Well yeah, but I was supposed to have it all set up so that it would boot up the moment a certain flash drive was plugged into the computer." Caylee pointed out but tucked the device into a pocket of her jeans, "and I could've sworn you wanted to make sure Yui was there too."

Asuna said nothing at the name of her and Kirito's SAO daughter, and human orphan, Yui. Instead, she looked harder at the table.

Liz could tell however that Asuna was about to cry, like the pressure and effects of everything this week was finally getting to her. Or perhaps getting to her again.

Caylee seemed to sense that too and stood up, "go with Liz," she pointedly called Liz by her SAO name, "rest up and relax. Yui going with Kirito instead of staying here to learn the Amosphere _is not_ your fault." She lightly patted Asuna on the shoulder and gave a glance at Liz, "neither is him being rather secretive and not telling you after you told him not to. I'll get this up and running tonight, shoot me a text when you're ready for it and I'll bring it over."

Liz's eyes widened as Caylee's words made the situation click in her head. _Holy Aincrad… Did Kirito really do that? That doesn't sound like Kirito at all! But if it was a surprise and Asuna was trying to not reveal the surprise and why she needed Yui to stay there and miss out on the camping trip then it does a little… That jerk! No wonder Asuna feels so crappy and lonely! Honestly, how could he defeat Heathcliff with a brain as messed up as his? He's messed up in the head!_

* * *

Liz's mouth was open in shock the entire time Asuna explained her argument with Kirito and how he was taken off with Yui without telling her. If she didn't know better that Kirito was indeed a good guy then she would've dragged him back home, called him more than a few rather ugly names, and punched a few times before getting Agil or Klein's help. "I'm sorry, but this whole thing makes Kirito sound like a major jerk Asuna," she told her friend as she perched on her mound of pillows in the middle of their half unstable blanket fort and braided Asuna's long hair. She sometimes wished she had as thick and long hair as Asuna did, Asuna could do so many things with her hair while Liz's was too short and usually curly and frizzy to do much more than try and tame it.

"It's not his fault," Asuna instinctively defended the black haired boy, "I should've told him what the secret was instead of seeming all selfish and everything."

Liz lightly shook her head, "you shouldn't have to explain yourself after you stated simply that it was a surprise. That should be reason enough." She finished Asuna's braid, let the braid go, and rested her hands on her friends mostly bare shoulders, "he's known you for how long? He should be able to figure out by now that you're not trying to be selfish and prevent Yui from experiencing things she hasn't experienced before."

"I know," Asuna said quietly and shifted her position so that she was facing Liz properly. "I guess I'm just not used to the shift in the dynamic of our relationship." She flopped onto her back onto the pillow covered carpet and placed one arm over her eyes. "I'll never get used to it."

Liz smiled sadly at her and scooted off her pillow mound to be leaning against it instead, "you guys were _married_ , of course, it's weird. Frankly, I'd be surprised if it wasn't," she rather playfully nudged Asuna and teased her, "is it the same in VR and IRL?"

Asuna didn't react like Liz had expected her to. Instead of blushing red or stammering or even hiding her face, Asuna responded in a rather flat tone. "I wouldn't know."

Liz blinked, and then blinked again. "Wait, how come you're not red or something? You always go red at any kind of, well, you know."

Asuna lightly shrugged her shoulders, "I'm tired of the real world. So why should I care about what you're suggesting?" The caramel haired girl looked more tired than ever in her current position. Even after the goofy movies Liz had made her watch and the ability to get everything off her chest, Asuna looked flat out exhausted.

"You're kidding?" Liz said and sat up completely, "come on Asuna, you have to be joking. You're tired of _the real world?_ Where we're not trapped in a death game."

"It wasn't just a death game," Asuna muttered behind her arm, "you and I know it better than a lot of people."

"Yeah but still, isn't this where we're supposed to be? In the real world as teenagers with lots of homework and crappy romance lives beside you and Kirito?"

Asuna sat up as well and looked at Liz, she had defeat shining in her eyes, like she didn't want to keep struggling against the real world's problems every day. "Mine isn't as great as you think it is," she said quietly and looked down at her lap. "And is this really where we belong? I mean I still think I'm a fencer and swordswoman somewhere in my mind and heart and I'm sure you think you're a blacksmith too."

Liz looked a little startled, "okay, what about it? And you have literally the perfect relationship Asuna, how is yours not as great as it seems to be?"

Asuna waved her hands, "one thing at a time!" A moment of her normal personality comforted Liz a little bit, having Asuna this depressed was depressing in of itself. "I can't adjust to living here in the real world," she explained, "I'm so used to living in SAO with Kirito, Yui, you, and everyone else that I'm struggling to wrap my head around that it wasn't real."

Liz sighed and went with the topic Asuna had chosen, "I guess that makes sense, sometimes I struggle too. It's like not everything clicks after the three years in SAO."

Asuna nodded, "exactly. I can't help but feel like I'm living in a different reality than the one I'm actually in while I'm in the real world, I mean I'm happy that I'm not trapped in a game that will kill you if you die, but at the same time it made it feel like it was real. That SAO was a real world and we were all real inhabitants of a world where we all had a place and had special relationships."

Liz leaned back against the couch, one side of their fort, "I see your point. If I had a choice I'd probably go back to SAO too."

Asuna nodded and took a deep breath before she spoke next, "have you ever had the opportunity to have something for a long time only to find it snatched away beneath your very nose? Leaving you with a ghost of what you had actually had? That's what Kirito and I's relationship feels like right now." She fixed her gaze firmly on her lap despite the tears welling in her amber eyes, "A ghost of what we had in SAO."

Liz's breath caught, now she got it. When it was explained like that it made sense why Asuna was so miserable right now and why she out of everyone was struggling the hardest to readjust to real life. "Because you two were married…" She whispered in a hushed tone, realizing part of what Asuna really meant.

"I'm happy we're still together," Asuna told her despite the tears beginning to drop down her face and how she was gripping handfuls of a blanket till her knuckles went white, "but I can't… I can't help but miss what we had in SAO!" Her voice raised in pitch but lowered in volume and she squeezed her eyes shut. "I w-want to be back in the cabins where I c-can wake up next to him and know that he's there," the slightly younger girl half blubbered, struggling to control her emotions with how much they were weighing her down. "I want to b-be close to him again and share those little m-moments with him that made e-everything worth it!" Her body trembled and she ducked her head, shaking as she continued. "I want to live with him and Yui every day and be able to know w-without any kind of doubt that he l-loved me and that no matter the n-number of girls that seemed to l-like him, he loved _me_. Just me."

Liz's heart wrenched painfully, all of this was hard to hear, and not because she had a crush on Kirito. She could see what Asuna was talking about, and could recognize how difficult it was for Asuna to go through this. Sure Asuna and Kirito were close. As close as could be in the real world when they were teenagers struggling with Asuna's parents and learning to adjust to the real world, but it wasn't the same. And Liz was seeing it now. "Asuna," Liz said in a rather soothing tone and scooted over to her friend to pull her into a hug.

"A-and that I w-was there, every day, with him," Asuna sobbed with her eyes squeezed shut. "I love Kirito so much, but it hurts knowing that here, in this world, he's not really mine here, and I'm not really his! Our situation is so delicate here in this world! While in SAO, we were married, always together, and we both had Yui with us all the time!"

Liz pulled Asuna into a hug, hugging her tightly and wishing under every star in the Aincrad sky that Asuna would be free from the pain she was feeling.

Asuna cried into Liz's shoulder, "I want to go back! I want to go back to SAO, Liz!"

Liz hugged her tighter and closed her brown eyes as well, swallowing the growing lump in her throat at her best friend's pain. "I know you do, I know you do Asuna…"

* * *

 **Status of Current Requests**

 **Kirito Comforts Sinon after GGO Spin-Off "I Will, No WE Will Protect You"**

Up to the part were Kyouji pulls out his gun and trains it on Asuna

 **Leafa Aids Kirito with Sugou (Guilded Hero Alt. Ending) "Who's Going to Save Kirito?"**

Still needs touch ups, but is nearly completed

 **Yui's Actually Human "Our Child IRL and in VR"**

Now up to where Asuna's awake and Caylee nearly kills Sugou.

 **Asuna's Nightmare and Kirito's Rage "They Don't Stop… I'm So Sorry Asuna…"**

Not started just yet, sorry XD

 **Leafa Babysits Yui Alone For The First Time "What if I Mess Up? You Won't Auntie!"**

In Que :P (There's so many! XD)

 **Asuna's Attacked and Blinded on One Side "Asuna, You're Still Just as Beautiful"**

* * *

 **Upcoming Named Chapters**

 _Kirito… Just Hold On A Little Longer…_

 _The Hacker, Hated or Loved?_

 _I want to go back! SAO is my home!_ _ **(Now Complete)**_

* * *

 **Separate SAO Stories**

 _I'll wait for as long as it takes Kirito_ _~ Kirito has decided after being in a party with her for a year, that Asuna's potential is limitless. So she needs to be with a guild, the new third guild called the KoB. But to get her there he may have to push her away to get her to leave him and join the guild. However, one sentence stops him in his tracks 'Because I love you! I love you much to leave...' (Kirisuna)_ _ **(COMPLETED)**_


	15. Not Alone Anymore (IRL)

**_~K2-Black-Panther~_**

 _Yeah, they're on the way. I just have some little modifications to put in in the Leafa one. The only reason I would put Caylee in is that I don't want to have Leafa and or Kirito suffer under the weight of having killed Sugou while Caylee's mind kinda shuts off and she doesn't really think about it. Leafa's still the hero, and I chose to use Agil with a different outcome, but in a story, it's important to include side characters to give the story more depth even if the character is only seen a small amount. Plus, without restrictions, my writing flows better which creates a better story._

 ** _~Cassy~_**

 _I'm glad! I really do enjoy these even if the delays are long due to the lengths of some of the chapters._

* * *

 ** _Admittedly this one has a little bit of a rough start, I don't really know why other than because I wrote it all in one go, but it does smoothen out a lot further down in the story. So don't give up on it till you reach the end._**

* * *

 _Not Alone Anymore_

Sinon lifted her eyes from her book when she heard the sound of the three chairs at the table she was at be scooted in and found two familiar faces and a new one. Asuna's gentle amber eyes helped soothe the instinctive fear Sinon felt go through her blood and helped her relax, Argo's usual mischievous smirk made her concerned about what she was up to, and the new face made her tense up a little. "What's up?" Sinon asked and adjusted her glasses before she calmly closed her book.

The new person spoke first, her brown gaze was piercing and intelligent, but Sinon could see a nearly invisible haunted gleam in those chocolate brown eyes. Hardened by her past, something only someone like Sinon could see. "I'm here to help you," she spoke in a rather emotionally distant tone, "I'm just like you."

Sinon's eyebrows furrowed and she glanced rather uneasily at Asuna and Argo, not really sure what to think with that introduction.

Asuna smiled encouragingly, "Shino, meet Caylee, she's an SAO survivor, but more than that…"

"I have PTSD as well," Caylee said with a faint smile, not as emotionally distant as her greeting. "I know what it's like to feel weak and useless when you're actually stronger than you think you are."

Sinon's eyes widened was she serious? "W-what're you talking about?" Caylee's gaze was insistent, and Sinon couldn't see anything that would give away that she knew what it was like. How did she know anyway?

"We wanted to help," Argo told the stunned sniper, "but we don't really know how to beyond what Asuna, Liz, and Kirito already did. So we asked Caylee to come and tell her story as well, that way you can see that you're not as alone as you think you are."

Sinon looked toward Asuna again, silently asking her if what Argo was saying was true.

"Caylee already knew," Asuna told her and gently touched her shoulder, "we didn't have to tell her anything."

"I already knew because Kirito asked me for my opinion," Caylee told the sniper, "because I have a trigger that's an object, just like you. But while your trigger is a pistol or gun, mine is a blade, like a knife or a sword." She smiled weakly, "ironic that I was in SAO now isn't it?"

Sinon looked a little curious, "okay, but how come you two are here?"

Asuna looked a little nervous, "We're going to tell you a few stories about SAO, when we…" She hesitated and looked at Caylee and Argo for help.

Argo continued for her, her expression oddly subdued, "when we had to kill to save a life. Just like you."

Sinon looked at the three of them, stunned, "r-really?" She asked in a half hushed tone, feeling both concerned and rather touched for some odd reason. These three were like her, they carried the guilt just like she did.

* * *

Caylee started first, "SAO was a nightmare. I entered the game with Argo after we found out it was a death game because I was part of the reason people couldn't hack through and get players out. In the game, I was called the Hacker because I could hack while others couldn't because I code in a specialized language that's hard to block. However, I learned quickly that I was going to have to find a weapon that wasn't a sword." She pushed her glasses further up her nose, "when I was twelve both of my parents were killed. Killed with a knife you could classify as a dagger. I heard crashing in the middle of the night and went running down the stairs at my mother's scream."

Sinon blinked, but listened carefully, drawn into the story as she began to understand that she was just like her.

"I was angry, and my mind kind of stopped working. All I knew at that moment was that my world was crashing down on top of my shoulders and those two black-hooded men where the reason for it so I attacked them with the discarded knife." Caylee tilted her head down in shame, "admittedly I don't remember all the details of what happened and what exactly I did, all I remember is being furious and that my family was gone before I lifted by a police officer from behind and pinned to the ground sobbing." Caylee left out a lot of the details, likely trying to make it seem not as bad as it really was. "I then found myself at a police station sitting by myself on a cold chair confused and dazed with blood all over my hands and shirt, my hands cuffed together and one of my shoulders aching from being stabbed myself."

Argo picked up the story, "My parents got called that my friend was sitting alone at the station with blood all over her clothes, and so they panicked and brought me there with them along with some clothes and stuff. When I got there I hardly recognized her, she was so disoriented and confused that I almost didn't recognize my childhood friend. My parents went to talk to the police officers while I approached Caylee and asked her what happened, only to find out that she didn't know."

"I had no idea where the blood on my clothes had come from, I didn't remember anything more than my parents being killed and me picking up the discarded knife." Caylee explained, "for the incident, I was a walking blank, I had no idea what happened other than being accused by the police that I was a killer. I'm so grateful for Argo's parents because they literally saved my life, but even after I wasn't put into juvie and that killing one of the men and putting the other into a hospital was self-defense, it wasn't over. I was brought to the surviving guy and was told what happened by the guy and couldn't believe my ears. I attacked them and apparently didn't stop. Inside that moment, I had lost my mind, and when they showed me the knife I couldn't believe it and didn't want to. I was deathly terrified that any time I touched a knife death would follow, and so I would panic and freak out any time I held a knife in my hands." She looked up at Sinon, whose expression was a mix of horror and understanding, "I don't see the person I killed when I hold a knife because I don't know who it was, instead I become keenly aware that I can't control what will happen if I hold one. As far as I know, I turn into this raging lunatic and kill when I have a knife. It's a stupidly irrational kind of thing to fear, but that's what makes it a fear."

Sinon nodded, she understood what that was like. She saw the robber from the post office every time she picked up a gun, but more than that she was terrified that she would kill another if she held another pistol in her hands.

"Anyway, SAO was terrible but helped make the fear fade, but the incident with Sugou was the point where my fears came true and gave me a renewal of that fear I felt when holding a knife. Sugou is the man that Kirito would have killed if he had been able to and instead I did."

Sinon felt a chill go down her spine, "Why?" She asked in a rather strained low tone, "why did you k-kill him?" She asked, stumbling over the word kill.

Sinon saw Caylee swallow hard before she explained. "Sugou trapped Asuna in another VRMMORG called ALHeim, the old version anyway, and…" She glanced at Asuna who was rather pale in the face, "he did unmentionable things to her. I was furious and wanted him dead for all the pain and suffering he caused Yui, Kirito, and Asuna, and I knew that he would come back to make them suffer even more and by extension me for what I had done to foil his plans. So instead of letting him live and letting him have the satisfaction of getting to live and maybe one day released to ruin our lives, I killed him. With a knife that he had stabbed Kirito in the stomach with and with a torn shoulder from him shooting me to get to Yui." Caylee clasped her hands together to make the visible shaking stop and looked at Sinon, "that horrible man was trying to kill Kirito, Yui, and Argo, and I wasn't going to let that happen, so I killed him too. Kirito wouldn't have been able to live with himself if he had and so instead I took it on myself. So now I see Sugou's cackling face whenever I hold a knife or sword. Pretty crazy right?" She said with a strained smile to break the tension in the air.

Sinon nodded again and processed what she had been told. "Do you… do you feel weak because you can't control it then? Because you don't know what'll happen if you hold the knife?"

Caylee nodded, "I used to, for years I thought I was the weakest person around because I couldn't hold a knife properly without turning as white as a sheet and trembling like a leaf. However, I have lots of friends and an annoying childhood friend who reminds me every day that if I hadn't killed Sugou than either he would've killed them and or Kirito wouldn't be able to live with himself. Surrounding yourself with multitudes of support is how you get stronger and keep on going."

Sinon smiled a little, "that makes sense, I… I never thought about it like that before."

Asuna smiled, "If you don't then it eats you from the inside out Sinon,"

"Asuna would know," Argo pointed out, "she did have to kill Kuradeel to save Kirito in SAO."

Sinon quickly looked over at the gentle-hearted girl, it was hard to believe that Asuna had indeed killed in SAO. The kind-hearted girl in front of her had killed in the game too?"

Asuna looked a little nervous but she did give a faint smile in confirmation, "Yeah… To be honest I forgot about that till today."

Sinon's eyes widened, "how?!" She slammed her hands down onto the table and leaned toward her, "how can you forget about it and not have it bother you every day?"

Asuna looked a little surprised before she coughed into one of her hands and responded, "um, mainly because I had to. If I hadn't then I never would have gotten a chance to be with Kirito and tell him that I love him." Her cheeks pinkened at the last phrase but she continued, "if I hadn't gotten there when I had and killed Kuradeel to protect Kirito then Kirito would've been killed in the game and none of us would've escaped the game alive. I only wanted to beat SAO because Kirito wanted to." She fidgeted a little, "SAO is still where I felt the most at home, where I really belong. So without Kirito, I don't know what I would've done." The caramel haired girl refrained from saying what she had told Kirito just before their fight with the Skull Reaper.

" _I would've killed myself! I never would have forgiven myself for staying behind so what would be the point in living?"_

"I ended up stabbing Kuradeel through the back with my rapier Lambent Light," Asuna explained to Sinon, her voice wavering a little at remembering the pain of actually killing him. "And doing so shattered my confidence in my own actions for the day were it not for Kirito. He comforted me that night, and I realized something. If I hadn't killed Kuradeel them it would've crushed Kirito if I had died and or if he had killed him instead. I'm not stronger than Kirito," Asuna said at the look on Sinon's face, "the only difference between us is that I refuse to let my actions haunt me where Kirito guilt trips himself for every mistake he makes and everything he had to do in SAO. I made my decisions in that game to survive and for Kirito. I can forget about killed Kuradeel because seeing Kirito standing next to me reminds me that I did it to keep him safe."

"Think about it Sinon," Argo spoke, "if you hadn't shot that robber then it's likely that nobody in that post office would have survived. Without you, Kirito would've died to DeathGun, and Kyouji would've never been seen for his mental issues and make him feel better. The little girl would've never smiled and told her mother who much she loves her, and your mother wouldn't have been able to see you grow up into the strong person you are today." The blonde smiled at her, "we all feel weaker than we actually are, and you Sinon, are just as strong as Kirito, Asuna, Caylee, and I." The smaller girl reached over and grabbed her hand, "you are an honorary SAO survivor because you are stronger than all of us."

Tears gathered in Sinon's eyes and she ducked her head to hide them, only to have Asuna pull her into a tight hug and brush her fingers through her short black hair. "You're not alone anymore, we're all right here to help you whenever you need it Shino… We're always here for you."

* * *

 _ **I really enjoyed writing this one, giving Caylee a background and expanding on Sinon's character was pretty fun too. Although to be honest I'm not sure where this entire thing came from other than I've been watching SAO's anime from beginning to end to refresh for the release of the third season which comes out on the 6th :P Sorry about the slow updates, I'm working on some of the long ones that are taking a hilariously long time and I'm working on a sequel for that unconnected one-shot. Not to mention I'm also doing another collection of moments about events in SAO with Yui as a human player and Caylee as a hacker.**_

 _ **Anyway, hope you enjoyed, let me know what you think!**_

* * *

 **Status of Current Requests**

 **Kirito Comforts Sinon after GGO Spin-Off "I Will, No WE Will Protect You"**

Up to where Kyouji pulls a gun on Asuna and Sinon's heart starts racing from panic.

 **Leafa Aids Kirito with Sugou (Guilded Hero Alt. Ending) "Who's Going to Save Kirito?"**

Almost finished needs some special dialogue and touching up.

 **Yui's Actually Human "Our Child IRL and in VR"**

Up to the part where Asuna is freed from ALHeim and Sugou is nearly killed. _I have included Caylee a decent amount in this one to make up for Yui's human player status instead of being an AI, however, the story is still centered around Kirito, Asuna, and Yui._

 **Asuna's Nightmares and Kirito's Rage "They Don't Stop… I'm So Sorry Asuna…"**

Title modified, up to where Sugu teases Asuna and Kirito about the sleepover situation.

 **Leafa Babysits Yui Alone For The First Time "What if I Mess Up? You Won't Auntie!"**

In Que :P (There's so many! XD)

 **Asuna's Attacked and Blinded on One Side "Asuna, You're Still Just as Beautiful"**

Also In queue, but has a few vague "writing doodles" for it.

* * *

 **Upcoming Named Chapters**

 _Kirito… Just Hold On A Little Longer…_

 _The Hacker, Hated or Loved?_

 _Nervous_

 _Our Piece of Perfection_

* * *

 **Separate SAO Stories**

 _I'll wait for as long as it takes Kirito_ _~ Kirito has decided after being in a party with her for a year, that Asuna's potential is limitless. So she needs to be with a guild, the new third guild called the KoB. But to get her there he may have to push her away to get her to leave him and join the guild. However, one sentence stops him in his tracks 'Because I love you! I love you much to leave...' (Kirisuna)_ _ **(COMPLETED) (Sequel in progress)**_

 _The Hacker's Role_ _~ I unknowingly helped make the game unhackable from the outside, and now I'm going to make up for my mistakes. I wasn't originally trapped in the game, but now? Now I'm the mystery that keeps players alive. I was a Beta Tester alongside my childhood friend 'the Rat,' and now I'm nicknamed "the Hacker" or "AI." Why? Because in other players eyes, I can't be killed, so I will beat this game. (Collection centered around Caylee's involvement in SAO.)_ _ **(In Progress)**_


	16. Our Child in VR and IRL (SAO, IRL)

_**~K2-Black-Panther~**_

 _Thx, I liked that one a lot myself. I got em, and they're amazing!_

 _ **~Anon2~**_

 _I've always pictured Sinon and Asuna as good friends, mainly because Sinon is the most mature out of the group and she's calm even regarding her crush on Kirito. I'm working on the half-blind one, I promise, I'm just running out of time almost every day._

* * *

 _ **O-o I never thought of that…. I'm ashamed of myself! XD**_

 _ **Btw the reason the Sinon and Kirito comfort one isn't finished is that I'm having some plot conflicts with adding Asuna into the mix of the situation. Plus I work 40 hours a week and go to high school so I'm nearly timeless**_

* * *

"Mommy! Daddy!" Yui cried and reached for her parents even as cardinal's light caused her avatar to glow a soft gold.

"Hurry up!" Kirito glanced nervously at the hooded player next to him and Asuna, "hack it faster!"

Asuna ran to Yui and cradled the young child to her body, "it's okay Yui!" She tried to comfort her through the tears threatening to fall from her shining amber eyes. There wasn't much she could do but comfort Yui through the whole process. Cardinal was trying to delete her player data without her dying in the game, but unless someone managed to change it so that the system was just rejecting her and pulling from the game, the nerve gear would fry her brain.

"Mommy!" Yui sobbed into Asuna's shirt, "Mommy I don't wanna die!"  
Yui's words made Asuna's tears sting harshly at her eyes and the caramel haired girl held her closer, cradling her in a mother's embrace. "Ssshh, you're not going to die Yui," she soothed the little girl despite the tears now dripping down her face. "You're going back to the real world, back home."

"This is my home!" Yui clung to Asuna as she turned rather transparent, "Mommy! Daddy! I want to stay with you forever!"

Kirito took one of his daughter's hands and held them between his own trembling ones. Yet his eyes and voice were steady. "We'll come find you Yui," he reassured the young child and held her small hand to his lips in an affectionate and rather fatherly way. "I promise that we'll escape this game and come to find you."

"I don't wanna go!" Yui sobbed and vigorously shook her head and buried her head deeper into Asuna's neck and shoulder. "I wanna stay here with you!"

Asuna sat down on the edge of the system console and cuddled Yui close, gently stroking her long hair and managing to hum the BGM of their home, a tune Yui was familiar with. "Sssh, it's okay," Asuna murmured softly, holding herself together despite how she felt like she was breaking at the seams. "It's okay…"

Yui grew more transparent, but the gold had faded, meaning this was the tipping point, had the hacker done it?

Kirito knelt in front of Asuna and Yui and gently kissed his daughter on the forehead. "You're our child Yui," he said softly, "we _will_ find you. Can you be strong and cheer us on till we wake up and join you?"

Yui's eyes welled with more tears but she nodded quietly, still tucked safely in Asuna's arms. "Okay, Daddy…"

Kirito smiled gently at his young daughter even as she faded even further, almost invisible now, "wake up in the real world Yui, we'll see you soon."

"We promise," Asuna murmured softly, she couldn't feel Yui's weight anymore, nor the texture of her soft long hair, but she kept repeating her actions, comforting Yui till the end.

The hacker at the other side of the terminal pressed a final key and Yui completely disappeared before the hacker was thrown across the room to hit the back wall rather painfully.

 _Crash!_

Kirito focused on the hacker a silent question in his eyes as Asuna started to tremble and sobs began to wrack her body.

The hacker stood up and dipped their head to Kirito before they quietly walked over and dropped an object into Kirito's waiting hands. "This is her avatar data. Yui is now offline and disconnected from the nerve gear. The game rejected her as a hacker instead of deleting her data." The hooded hacker's voice was flat and didn't change throughout the entire sentence. "Your daughter is awake in the real world." She tapped the item held in Kirito's hands and a holographic sphere popped up.

The camera seemed to be moving, but they could see Yui, awake and staring at the camera.

"I told her that her Nervegear functions as a camera. So if she wanted you to be able to see her to just put her Nervegear insight and you can see and hear her." The hacker said and tapped the item again to shut it off. "The item is called Yui's heart because you carry her in your hearts everywhere you go. However, do not think Yui's dead. She's out there, waiting for us all to end the game."

Kirito looked at the hooded hacker and nodded, "thank you AI." He said, using one of the hacker's nicknames. Nobody knew her real name and even her face, programmed to have her hood always hiding her face. In fact, the only reason Kirito even knew about her was Argo. Argo had come running over when they had found out about the reason behind Yui's glowing and insisted they let the hacker try and change the outcome. "We owe you."

The hacker was quiet, "nobody owes me anything." She said simply before she gave a sigh, "alright, swear you'll beat the game and ask Argo about a name."

"Okay, what name?" Kirito asked as he gently tugged Asuna's into his arms, shaking from relief while Asuna was torn up about their daughter being gone.

"Casia, the hacker." With that the hacker disappeared, shimmering like she had used the system to teleport without a crystal.

Kirito's shoulders sagged and he held Asuna close, "she's alright, Yui's okay…"

Asuna sniffled, "it hurts," she managed to say clearly through her tears, "I feel like I lost her…"

Kirito held her closer, "because in a way we did. We lost her here and kept her safe by pulling her out. She's in the real world now."  
Asuna sniffled, "we have to beat the game," she said thickly, "and get back to Yui."

 _And Sugu, Midori, and Asuna's family._ _We have to clear this for our families, we have to._

* * *

Kirito, still numb from actually waking up in the real world a week ago, sat there and mainly just stared at the opposing wall. He had been told yesterday that Asuna was alive, but that she hadn't woken up yet. Along with three-hundred other players. He was beyond relieved that Asuna was alive, but at the same time, he wanted to break down and cry again and again. He didn't want to be here in the real world without Asuna. Without his SAO wife, easily the girl of his life, and someone who had saved his life over and over again in SAO. Asuna was his better half, and without her, he felt broken and lost, they were supposed to be together after SAO, forever.

 _I love you so much Kirito…_

Kirito's eyes widened and welled with tears as the words filtered through his mind again for the fifth time that day. Asuna's words just before they escaped the game still rang in his ears periodically, her beautiful voice and tender words spoken softly in his ear. Those two years with her and in SAO was something he would hold close to him forever, even if Asuna never woke up.

"Kirito, I have someone who wants to see you," Liz's voice pulled Kirito from his thoughts and he jumped in surprise. Only to feel Liz playfully ruffle his newly cut hair and notice that she was sitting on the edge of his bed with a nurse nearby making sure the girl wasn't going to hurt herself. "I promise you'll want to see this one."

Kirito blinked back the tears and turned to look at Liz, unable to hide the rather depressed expression he had on his face. Liz and a few others were in the same hospital as Kirito, and even though it had only been a week since they all had been released, Kirito had seen more than a few familiar faces. Liz had been there with him and his family when the news about Asuna and the three-hundred players had been spread, so she had been Kirito's support system along with a few other players like Agil and Argo. "I'm not in the mood for visitors Liz," his voice was rough and tired, broken like he had lost the center of his world and couldn't ever get it back.

Liz's encouraging smile wasn't forced today, and the weak girl lightly patted his shoulder. "Trust me Kirito. I may be annoying to you for making you not be a hermit crab, but you trust me right?"

Kirito sighed and slouched back against his pillows, "do what you want," he sighed and looked up at the ceiling in a tired manner. "I don't really care." He then flinched at the weak smack to the shoulder and looked at her, irritation now in his eyes, "what was that for?!"

Liz frowned at him, "will you stop being depressed for all of ten seconds and meet your visitor?"

Kirito scowled and looked at the door, "fine, then will you leave me alone?"

Liz nodded slightly and leaned her shoulder against the headboard, getting rather tired. "Argo, bring her in."

The door pushed open with a soft creak and Argo, being wheeled in a wheelchair by a dark brown curly haired girl, entered the room. Argo looked tired but excited and had a rather familiar little girl sitting on her lap. The Rat was wearing a typical hospital shirt and pants with her curly blonde hair getting in her face and had a tired but excited smirk on her face. "My info broker days ain't over yet Kii-boi. Look who I found-"

"I found her-" The curly brown haired girl huffed half indignantly but let Argo continue.

Argo waved her off, "technical details. Look who _we_ found Kiri-boi."

The little girl sitting on Argo's lap hopped to her feet and scrambled toward the bed, silver eyes twinkling. Her black hair was long, with two thin tresses tumbling down the front of her shoulders, straight bangs, and straight long hair that looked almost identical to Asuna's. She looked healthy and beyond happy at that moment. She still looked almost like a bridge between Kirito and Asuna, with Asuna's gentle features and perfectly almond shaped eyes, Kirito's lanky proportions, nose, and hair color, and a softened brighter color of Kirito's eyes. She looked like she had been waiting for this day to come for at least two weeks. "Daddy! Daddy!"

Kirito's eyes widened and his arms shot out to weakly pull the girl into his arms, "Yui!" Kirito's broken world expanded to take in his SAO daughter.

The little girl he and Asuna had saved, temporarily given to a player watching over all of the children in the game, and brought home with them once they had actually gotten together. Yui had been the person that had kept Kirito going after he and Asuna split up so that Asuna could lead in the KoB, Yui was so important and precious to both him and Asuna. Even before he and Asuna had been together as a couple and had been just friends Yui had brought them together more and more. Kirito could say that Yui was one of the main reasons he and Asuna had really gotten to know each other. They had visited the girl together all the time in the first year and a half and had taken her around town in the Town of New Beginnings. It was even her calling them 'Mommy' and 'Daddy' that eventually made Asuna reveal to Yui and him by eavesdropping that she did have feelings for Kirito. The bond between him and Asuna had been sensed first by this young girl who by now was practically their daughter.

Kirito cuddled Yui close with all of the strength he could muster with his weakened state. "You're safe," he muttered and hugged his young daughter, "the hack worked!"

Yui giggled in her father's arms and nestled her head into her father's thin chest, "daddy! I missed you! I missed you so much!" She then moved back a little and looked at her father in concern at feeling a few tears dripping onto her head from Kirito. "Daddy… Why're you crying?" She turned a little to look around for someone, "where's Mommy?"

Kirito's throat closed up and he let Yui go to brush the tears from his face, onyx-colored eyes rather broken and miserable. "Asuna…" He changed the name her referred Asuna as, changing it so that it was more oriented toward Yui. "When I cleared the game Mommy didn't wake up," he said in a rather hoarse tone, "Mommy's still sleeping Yui. Trapped somewhere in her Nervegear, like SAO."

Yui's eyes widened, "mommy's still trapped? Oh, Daddy!" She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him, "Daddy, I'm so sorry!" tears glistened in Yui's eyes and fell in Kirito's shirt. "It's not fair for you and Mommy!"

Kirito held his daughter close, his throat closing up from his emotions. "At least you're here," he spoke in a hoarse voice, "at least you're awake and safe. Asuna will wake up soon," he tried to convince himself of his words, "she will, you'll see."

"She has to!" Yui cried and hugged Kirito harder, "Mommy wouldn't leave us!"

 _I love you so much…_

Asuna's last words rang in Kirito's ears once again and his shut his eyes against the tears pricking at his eyes, "you're right Yui, Asuna will wake up," his voice broke, "she has to…"

* * *

"Daddy!" Kirito barely had time to set down his coffee cup before Yui crashed headlong into him and hugged her SAO father like a koala bear. Kirito stumbled, still regaining his strength from physical therapy and rehab, but he did catch her and smile tiredly at her. He had been at the hospital all night long pacing Asuna's hospital room and waiting for a different visitor. By now it was almost ten in the morning, and Yui had come to finally visit Asuna with Kirito. It had been a long battle getting the orphanage Yui was at, her parents had died in a car crash during the time she was in SAO, to let Kirito take Yui to the hospital to see Asuna. Even then it was like pulling teeth to even get them to let him and Sugu take Yui around Tokyo and having her over at Sugu and Kirito's was a no-no for them.

A rather grumpy looking man was standing nearby with Yui's backpack and jacket, looking like he would rather be anywhere but there at that moment.

Kirito tried to ignore him and instead looked at his daughter with a smile. "Hey Yui," his voice was rough from disuse, "you excited to see mommy again?"

Yui nodded into his shirt and looked up at him with a big smile, "is Mommy as pretty in the game as she is here?"

Krito's smile was fond as he nodded, "Asuna's even more beautiful here in the real world Yui, and you still look just like her," he lightly tapped her nose, "you definitely have her nose and pretty eyes."

Yui's silver eyes gleamed happily and she hugged him tightly and giggled, "Mommy always said that you're a sweet talker, what does that mean?"

Kirito chuckled at the reminder that Asuna would say that whenever she was trying to stay mad at him but couldn't. It was a little painfully sad, but it was a good memory. "It means I can compliment Mommy and say stuff to her, and because of that she can't stay mad at me even if she wants to," he explained, "and so she complains about it."

"But Mommy shouldn't be mad at you!" Yui giggled, knowing exactly how often Asuna had lightly punched him for making her annoyed or embarrassed, "she loves you!"

Kirito smiled and gently set Yui down and crouched down to her level with a rather cheeky and secretive grin. "If she didn't get mad at me for the stupid things I do, then I think I have a love skill or something," he teased in a mock whisper, "what do you think?"

Yui covered her mouth with her hands and giggled while she nodded in agreement.

"Alright you two, let's stop discussing secrets and get this other with," a person walked through the hospital lobby doors. With blue-rimmed glasses, chocolate brown eyes, brown curly hair, and a slight limp, Kirito knew who it was. It was the hacker who had helped him get Yui out of the game and had helped Argo find Yui in the real world. Today though she seemed remarkably lazy and had a stride that was brisk and at the same time very direct. She took Yui's backpack and jacket from the grumpy man, walked past him, and even past Kirito without even a glance behind her.

Kirito rolled his eyes, "what're you in such a hurry for Caylee?" He asked as he followed the hacker after he picked up Yui and lengthened his stride to match hers. For a girl with her height, she moved remarkably fast.

"Unlike you, I actually have plans outside of here and rehab," Caylee stated briskly, "and I don't appreciate having Argo hack my phone and sing the Aincrad anthem at the top of her lungs to wake me up at eight in the morning," she deadpanned and Kirito had to stifle a snort of laughter.

It made sense that Argo teased her friend with a prank like that, they had apparently known each other since they were young kids, so with Argo's mischievous nature, pranking was right up her alley. But with the Aincrad Anthem? Of all things, she had to sing the fifteen-minute-long song? "The whole thing?"

"The whole thing," Caylee echoed and pressed the button for the elevator, "and she didn't even tell me all of the details. Do you want to tell me how I'm supposed to inconspicuously hack something I don't even know what I'm supposed to be hacking?"

Yui was giggling behind her hands at Caylee's words and phrase and Kirito smiled before he nodded and pulled a slim game case from his coat pocket. "I need you to locate a certain player handle within this game."

Caylee took the case and looked at the name, scrutinizing the game.

Kirito hastened to pronounce the name for her, having learned that it was hard to say. "It's pronounced-"

"ALHeim," Caylee cut him off and looked up at his surprised expression. "I started the game to check for any kinds of player log out things like SAO." At Kirito's raised eyebrow she continued, "There are too many people accessing a system console, but beyond that, it's perfectly safe and normal… Wait, you think Asuna's trapped in the game?"

Kirito nodded and put Yui down so he could hold her hand and lead the way once the elevator stopped. "I saw a picture of an avatar that's perfectly identical to hers. That's why I called you and Argo, I need help finding out if she's really there."  
Caylee breathed a heavy sigh, but she nodded, "I'll try, maybe I can try and temporarily eject her from the game. If she's in that game Kirito," her eyes turned rather dark and serious, "I have no idea how to get her out of there. Even I can't fight the codes written by this GM and the creator from here. This guy's good like he has a team of people purely focused on keeping hackers out of the game."

With that, the elevator dinged.

Kirito looked down at his SAO daughter, "you ready to see Asuna Yui?" He forced out through the lump in his throat. How was he going to get Asuna out now? WIth the info that Caylee just told him, even if Asuna was there, how would he get to her?

As Yui started moving forward, Kirito felt Caylee breathe in his ear, "I never said I couldn't go _inside_ and try there…"

With that, the hacker strode ahead of him and Yui toward the impatient looking Argo standing at the door.

Kirito got it and his eyes widened before his gaze shot to Caylee who was now discreetly glancing to her left at a small camera. _How?_ Was the only thing he could think of as he led Yui toward Asuna's room. Did Argo know too? That there was some kind of bug or something in that camera? He looked down at Yui and smiled gently at her, "let's go see mama," he said and led the way to the door and swiped the card.

"Mommy!" Yui gasped and tugged free of his grasp the moment the door was open, "Mommy!"

Kirito watched his daughter run to the hospital bed and scramble to be sitting next to Asuna near her head, _Asuna… Please wake up…_

* * *

Caylee was rambling when Kirito picked up the phone, the hacker was rambling some kind of nonsense that he didn't understand. However, he did understand a few words, Asuna, free, and hospital. "You mean…" His voice was hoarse as he spoke, looking at his Nervegear with trembling hands while Sugu held his phone so that they could see Caylee who was at the hospital already working on hacking the game and copying the data. After Asuna had managed to tell them vaguely about experiments when Caylee pulled her temporarily from the game, Caylee had started siphoning data inconspicuously until today. Now she was just draining their servers and compacting the data as much as she could.

Caylee silently lifted her phone toward the hospital bed where Asuna had her eyes open. She hadn't moved yet, but she had opened her eyes and Caylee had removed her Nervegear.

"I'm on my way," Kirito said hastily and scrambled to his feet, "did you tell Argo and Yui?"

Caylee nodded, "Argo's already on her way with Yui-"

"Tell them to stop outside the parking lot!" Kirito interrupted abruptly, his onyx colored eyes widening at something struck him. "Someone could be waiting for me in the parking lot!"

Caylee's eyes widened as well and then narrowed dangerously, "I'll finish the data swipe and come down if you need my help. Don't play hero Kirito, we both know what Sugou can do to you."

* * *

Yui gave a frightened scream and scrambled toward Argo in fear at the shining metal gun Sugou was holding.

Argo stood stiff, unable to move, her hazel eyes locked fearfully on the weapon in Sugou's hands.

Kirito struggled to get up, blood making his shirt stick to his injured body. The stab wound in his thigh screamed in protest, but he had to get up, to protect Yui. He just got Asuna back, there was no way in the world he was going to lose anyone else in his small ring of friends and family. "Yui!" He pushed himself up to his feet, swaying dangerously and tried to take a step forward only to slip and fall forward, "no!"

The faint sound of footsteps got much louder and Kirito felt someone jump over him before they ran toward Yui and Argo.

Kirito wanted to cry, for a few moments it was like Asuna darting in front of Heathcliff to save him and he wanted to cry at the result of that moment. Especially when he heard the gunshot and Yui's scream.

Only to see Yui and Argo fall hard onto the ground and an agonized cry that made Argo white in the face and Kirito breathe in relief. It wasn't Asuna, and they weren't dead… He stared at the girl who had come out of nowhere, now vaguely remembering what she had said earlier.

Standing in front of Yui and Argo in a staggered position was the hacker, now gripping her right shoulder where blood was beginning to make her coat a crimson red and was trickling down her sleeve like Kirito's knife wound in his upper arm. Her brown eyes were dark and narrowed into slits from pain and fury, and the hacker looked murderous.

"Argo, get Yui and Kirito," Caylee spoke to her friend without looking at her. "I can handle Sugou," with that the teenager managed to perform a rather shaky roundhouse kick straight at Sugou's hand. "You're finally going to get what you deserve Sugou!"

* * *

Caylee's arms shook but she held Sugou's head up with the blade of the knife held firmly against his throat. "I will take this burden from Kirito," she told the man in a low hiss, her breath washing over his ear. "And from anyone else who will _ever_ have to deal with you again."

"N-no, p-please!" Sugou gasped out, trembling from the girl's words.

"You think this is any different than having to kill PKers in SAO?" Caylee hissed and let the knife dig further into his throat, "especially after what you did to Asuna? You deserve to die!"

"Caylee…" Kirito's croaky voice came from where he was now lying on the parking lot ground with a trembling Yui in his arms, being propped up by Argo who had her hands over her ears and her eyes squeezed shut. "You can't… We need proof…"

"I have proof!" Caylee snarled back, "I have enough proof to put his man in jail till the day he dies!" She flicked Sugou's neck with her other hand and pulled the knife away just enough for it to be not touching his skin, making him jolt in fear. "You hear me? If I don't kill you now, someone in that jail will, and you don't deserve even that kind of attention! You know who criminal hate the most?" She hissed in Sugou's ear, "even worse than murders and killers? Criminals despise those who take advantage of a young girl, and that's what you did, didn't you?" When Sugou said nothing, Caylee shook him harshly, "didn't you?!"

Sugou faintly nodded, cringing when Caylee flicked him again, flicking a specific spot.

"Good," Caylee hissed in his ear before she used the flat side of the knife blade as a blunt object against his temple to knock him out. "You can look Argo," Caylee said coolly and strode toward them, throwing the knife near Sugou's back and pinning his coat to the ground, "he's just knocked out."

Argo peeked out from between her fingers and gave a heavy sigh of relief, "thank Aincrad. I really thought you were going to kill him Caylee," she said in a shaky tone.

Caylee's eyes were dark and rather haunted and dangerous when she next spoke, "I would have again, but Yui's here and Kirito told me not to."

Kirito looked exhaustedly at her and nodded a thank you before he heaved himself unsteadily to his feet. "Let's go get to Asuna," he spoke in a half-mumble, his body was bloodied and beaten up, but he hadn't suffered from any major injuries. The worst injury was Caylee's, the bullet piercing her shoulder when she protected Yui and Argo.

Caylee nodded and followed after Kirito and Yui.

"We'll stay at the lobby," Argo said as she steadied Caylee who suddenly lurched and almost fell over, "You go to Asuna Kii-boi."

Kirito looked worriedly at the hacker, conflicted between going straight to Asuna and helping his friend.  
"Come on D-daddy!" Yui stuttered and clung to her father in a scared fashion, "M-mommy's a-awake now!"

"Take Yui to her," Caylee told Kirito and gave him a slight thumbs up, "she needs Asuna. Just like you."

Kirito hesitated some more, but saw the truth in her words and ran off into the build a little unsteadily with Yui in his arms.

* * *

Kirito's breathing was ragged and close to gasps as he ran up the several flights of stairs to get to Asuna's hospital room in his haste to make sure she was okay. That his wife in SAO and the girl of his life was alive and awake.

Yui was trembling in his arms, the young girl was likely traumatized but the whole Sugou thing, but she was also excited, shown by the way she was looking around for Asuna's room.

However, when he exited the stairwell, he saw a figure about his height and much thinner than she should be, leaning against one of the walls right next to Asuna's room. She was breathing hard and looked more exhausted than Kirito had ever seen, but it was her. It was Asuna. Her arms were shaking as she fought to hold herself upright, and she was muttering something under her breath, but it was Asuna.

"Asuna…" Kirito quickly set Yui down and rushed over to Asuna, managing to catch her just as her knees buckled. "You shouldn't be standing," he rambled even as he lifted her up into his arms and held her in trembling arms. She was so light, so thin and weak… Those last few months seemed to be more than her body could handle since he had seen the massive decline in her health with being trapped in SAO and now ALHeim for even longer than he had. She was lucky she hadn't hurt herself getting up to do whatever she had been trying to do. "You need to give your body time to heal-"

Asuna shakily put both of her hands on his face abruptly started crying, throwing her arms around his neck and pushing her head into his coat.

Kirito walked forward till he entered Asuna's hospital room and sat down on the hospital bed with a bump.

* * *

Yui jumped up on Asuna's bed and scrambled over to her sitting up SAO mother, "Mommy!" the child squealed happily at seeing Asuna looking much healthier and overall happy. It had been close to two months since Asuna had woken up, but this was one of the few times Yui had been able to come with Kirito to visit her. Not to mention that Kirito and his aunt had been scrambling around for weeks for reasons she didn't know. What she did know was that today Asuna was going with her, Kirito, Aunt Sugu, and Grandma Midori somewhere and that it was a surprise. She knew it was important since Midori had taken her yesterday to get a dress special for today, of which she was currently wearing, and because her father was currently helping her mother zip up the medium brown mid-calf length boots she was currently wearing. Outside of SAO Yui hadn't seen Asuna wear anything besides her hospital clothes so far, a plain white shirt and pants, so seeing Asuna in clothes that reminded her of SAO made her feel rather warm and fuzzy.

"Mommy you're so pretty!" She beamed an innocently happy smile at Asuna and leaned over and carefully gave her a hug. She didn't want to hurt her, she knew that her mommy was still rather weak and had been told by Kirito that no matter how much Asuna insisted a tight hug didn't hurt, it could hurt her without her knowing. So she paid extra attention to making sure she was hugging her very, very softly. "And it's all soft!" She giggled and nuzzled her cheek against the soft material of Asuna's pastel yellow soft cotton long sleeve shirt with a v-neckline.

Asuna's arms came around Yui's back and she hugged her daughter, the embrace wasn't very tight, likely because she was still regaining her strength in her arm, "you and daddy are going to drown me in compliments!" She playfully teased them both and gave Yui a motherly squeeze before she smiled softly at her daughter, "how're you today Yui? Kirito's been mean and kept you from me now hasn't he?"

Yui broke into giggles at the rather terrified look on her father's face and when he vigorously shook her head, "I'm happy cause we're all together!" She pushed her face a little more into Asuna's shirt, "and mommy's happy too! Even though daddy won't tell me what's going on!" She huffed in a sulky child-like fashion and snuggled up to Asuna, sitting partially on her lap.

Asuna laughed and Yui guessed her parents were looking at each other in amusement before Asuna ran her fingers through Yui's soft black hair, working out any remaining tangles in her long locks. "It's a secret," Asuna said rather cheekily before she leaned over and spoke in Yui's ear, "and I can't tell you or daddy may get flustered and disappointed."

"Hey! What're you two talking about over there?" Kirito asked a little suspiciously and released Asuna's leg before he stood up, a smile playing with his lips.

Yui giggled, "okay mommy!" She looked innocently at her father, "nothing daddy! It's a secret!"

At that, Asuna joined Yui's giggles and looked at Kirito, amber eyes twinkling softly. "Yeah Kirito, it's a _secret._ "

Kirito pouted, "oh so now I get to be ganged up on? How's that even fair?

Asuna lifted one arm and lightly grasped the sleeve of his coat and tugged, "it's fair because you didn't tell Yui what we're doing today dummy."

Yui's eyes twinkled at the rather loving look in her parents' eyes as Asuna playfully teased Kirito and so when Kirito was standing close enough and had leaned over with a grin, she threw an arm around each of her parents' necks and giggled, "I love you Mommy, daddy!"

"And we love you too Yui," her parents chorused in since before Yui pulled them a little closer and giggled harder.

Over top of Yui's head, Kirito and Asuna looked at the young child with mirroring soft expressions. Before Kirito leaned a little closer and brushed his lips over Asuna's temple, showing no signs of embarrassment when it was just the three of them. "My two girls," he spoke quietly, just loud enough for Asuna to hear him, "the two loves of my life."

Asuna's eyes closed at Kirito's lips brushed over her skin and she threaded her fingers through his, absentmindedly humming the BGM of floor twenty-two in Aincrad, a tune held dearly to all of their hearts.

The clearing of someone's throat and the opening of the door broke their peace even just temporarily, and Kirito glanced over at the intruder and rolled his eyes. "I could've sworn I told you to wait in the lobby Sugu," he said with a roll of his eyes and carefully removed Yui's arms from around his neck and unthreaded his and Asuna's fingers.

Sugu, or Aunt Sugu as Yui knew her as, put her hands on her hips and lightly shook her head, "not when it takes you close to ten minutes to get up here and get Asuna into the wheelchair and out of the room. I mean seriously Onii-chan, mom's been out there for close to fifteen minutes now!"

Kirito waited till Yui scooted off of Asuna's lap and slid one arm beneath Asuna's thighs, pinning her skirt against his arm in the process, before putting his other one behind her back and lifting her up, only a little shaky today. "I was helping Asuna with her shoes," he told his sister rather simply, "and Yui came and we lost track of time." He the carefully placed Asuna down in the wheelchair already prepared by him earlier, "it's not like we have a set time we have to be there by so why are you freaking out about it?" His attention was drawn immediately to Asuna when she flinched in pain and he carefully knelt and adjusted her position, easing the pain in her back and the tingling in her spine. "Better?"

"Much," Asuna smiled at him and pushed her long caramel colored hair off one shoulder to prevent the wheelchair from grabbing at her long hair. She was still beginning to get feeling down in her lower back, hips, and legs as her nerves recovered and slowly began to start working like they had close to three and a quarter years ago. She pushed her arms through the black jacket of Kirito's, that had been draped over the back so she could slip it on, while Kirito positioned her feet properly.

Yui watched her father carefully arrange Asuna's feet, noticing the faint melancholy in his actions at probably thinking about how he wanted to take the burden from her just like he had wanted to every time something happened in the game.

"Hey," Asuna leaned forward and touched Kirito's shoulder, "one day soon I'll be back to normal," she told him with a gentle and encouraging smile. She knew how hard it was for Kirito to see her like this, even though it was incredibly difficult for herself as well. "Just another few weeks and I'll be on my feet again."

"Yeah, daddy!" Yui stood behind Asuna's wheelchair, onyx-colored eyes twinkling happily from where she was grasping the handles of Asuna's wheelchair, "mommy will get better!"

Kirito stood up and smiled at his little family, "I know Yui, mommy's super strong, and she'll make it. Won't you Asuna?"

Asuna's lips twitched into a rather bright smile and the caramel haired girl smiled gently at both of them, making Yui giggle and skip to the front of her chair. Asuna leaned over and carefully pulled Yui up onto her lap, ignored the stink eye she was getting from Kirito at straining herself and hugged Yui. "Just you two wait, I'll be stronger than you Kirito, and then Yui and I'll tickle you till you can't breathe," she teased playfully and laughed at the look on Kirito's face.

Yui giggled, "yeah Mommy! But let's go!" Her voice went a little serious, "before Grandma gets angry…"

Kirito ruffled Yui's hair and moved to take control of Asuna's wheelchair after tossing a small blanket over one of his shoulders in case Asuna got cold. "She can't stay mad as long as you smile at her and apologize for us," he looked down at her with a cheeky smile, "will you do that for daddy?"

Yui thought about it for a moment before she beamed, "okay daddy!"

"Kirito!" Asuna lightly scolded him even as Kirito pushed her out of the hospital room, "don't teach Yui your bad habits!"

"Alright, alright," Kirito chuckled, "I won't teach Yui how to melt your heart and make it impossible for you to stay mad at her."

"Kirito!" Asuna complained, her cheeks now flushed pink along with her ears and part of her neck.

"What?" Kirito said intentionally obliviously and kept looking forward, pushing Asuna's wheelchair toward the car while she had Yui on her lap.

"You're unbelievable," Asuna sighed, but there was a smile playing on her lips, and she lightheartedly rolled her eyes.

Yui giggled some more and hugged Asuna, looking up at her and her father with a priceless and innocently happy smile.

"I know I am," Kirito responded playfully, "but you're just as bad hun."

Asuna's face pinkened further in a flustered blush at the pet name and she said nothing, a little tongue-tied. He hadn't said that to her outside of SAO just yet, and so she was struggling a little to come up with a response.

"You made her speechless daddy!" Yui giggled and laughed at her mother's next flustered response.  
"N-no he d-didn't!" Asuna retorted in a flustered fashion, "I was just thinking!"

"Thinking about what?" Kirito asked curiously, only to have Asuna blush further and to grin in a rather self-satisfied smirk. "Okay, I won't ask, I promise."

Asuna relaxed a little, looking down at Yui with a motherly smile, "you ready Yui?"

Yui looked up at her, innocent silver eyes gazing curiously at her, "for what Mommy?"

"For you to come home," Asuna smiled gently at her, "home with Kirito."

Yui's eyes widened and she hugged Asuna tightly while also being careful, tears welling in her eyes, "I stay with daddy?"

Asuna hugged her back with a smile, "you stay permanently with Kirito-"

"-Meaning I'm going to be there every morning," Kirito finished Asuna's sentence with a smile, "and every night to tuck you in just like we did in SAO."

Yui burst into happy tears and hid her face in Asuna's shirt, bawling while Kirito stopped and rested his hand on her head and Asuna rubbed her back, her amber eyes shining a little. "Mommy! Daddy!"

* * *

 _ **I'll do a sequel, one that expands on Asuna and Kirito raising Yui and the stuff they go through involving Asuna's parents, the transition to living with Kirito, Yui, Suguha, and Midori, and getting Yui involved with ALO. I'm uploading it early because I feel bad that I haven't uploaded in what feels like forever, so I'm going to chop it in half and try my best to write the second half around work and school.**_

 _ **I hope you all are having a good day and enjoyed the chapter, till next time!**_

* * *

 **Status of Current Requests**

 **Kirito Comforts Sinon after GGO Spin-Off "I Will, No WE Will Protect You"**

Up to where Kyouji pulls a gun on Asuna and Sinon's heart starts racing from panic

 **Leafa Aids Kirito with Sugou (Guilded Hero Alt. Ending) "Who's Going to Save Kirito?"**

Almost finished needs some special dialogue and touching up

 **Yui's Actually Human "Our Child IRL and in VR"**

Finished, Sequel in queue

 **Asuna's Nightmares and Kirito's Rage "They Don't Stop… I'm So Sorry Asuna…"**

Title modified, up to where Sugu teases Asuna and Kirito about the sleepover situation.

 **Leafa Babysits Yui Alone For The First Time "What if I Mess Up? You Won't Auntie!"**

In Que :P (There's so many! XD)

 **Asuna's Attacked and Blinded on One Side "Asuna, You're Still Just as Beautiful"**

Also In queue, but has a few vague "writing doodles" for it.

* * *

 **Upcoming Named Chapters**

 _Kirito… Just Hold On A Little Longer…_

 _The Hacker, Hated or Loved?_

 _My Body's Broken, But My Spirit Will Soar_

 _My Little Sister_

* * *

 **Separate SAO Stories**

 _I'll wait for as long as it takes Kirito_ _~ Kirito has decided after being in a party with her for a year, that Asuna's potential is limitless. So she needs to be with a guild, the new third guild called the KoB. But to get her there he may have to push her away to get her to leave him and join the guild. However, one sentence stops him in his tracks 'Because I love you! I love you much to leave...' (Kirisuna)_ _ **(COMPLETED) (Sequel Completed)**_

 _New Memories And Resolve_ _~ Numbed by rejection and heartbreak, Asuna is at a loss of what to do. So she makes the hard decision to follow Kirito's wishes and join the KoB, purely for his sake. However, Kirito wants one more day with her, the last day of making new memories and giving her the strength to go on."I care for you more than you'll ever know Asuna…" (Sequel to 'I'll wait as long as it Takes Kirito) (Kirisuna)_ _ **(To Be Uploaded)**_

 _The Hacker's Role_ _~ I unknowingly helped make the game unhackable from the outside, and now I'm going to make up for my mistakes. I wasn't originally trapped in the game, but now? Now I'm the mystery that keeps players alive. I was a Beta Tester alongside my childhood friend 'the Rat,' and now I'm nicknamed "the Hacker" or "AI." Why? Because in other players eyes, I can't be killed, so I will beat this game. (Collection centered around Caylee's involvement in SAO.)_ _ **(In Progress)**_


	17. Heart Rates and ALO Dolphins (ALO)

**~K2-Black-Panther~**

 _I'm glad you enjoyed it! Sadly my progress has slowed to a crawl with how I have to type basically one handed with this sling. I plan on Yui asking Sugu curiously what she had originally thought about Asuna when she first met her, and I also plan on Sugu telling Yui embarrassing stories about Kazuto as a kid that she remembers or Midori told her about. Not to mention that Klein told something to Yui previously that make Asuna and Kirito nearly murder him in ALO, and I want to have it span a few of my different AU worlds, like the "ALS world," "Forever SAO," "Asuna's Killed," and "Broken Warrior" two of which are actually upcoming worlds with the last one being part of a chapter I'm a hair's breath away from finishing._

 _ **~S10MC2015~**_

 _I'm human, I'm just a champion multitasker. You guys only see about an eighth of what I actually write for SAO, I write all the time, it just that sometimes I'm uncomfortable publishing something or I haven't finished it so it's not uploaded._

 _ **~Luchux~**_

 _I intend to have a lot of the upcoming chapters to have Yui as human, and I may one day write out the full thing, but it would be hard because I have to change some of SAO's main plot to coincide with "the Hacker's Role" or I may just have Yui as a human in that world the entire time.. Maybe I'll do that instead. Either way, I enjoyed writing Yui as a human and find it rus just a little smoother in my head like that. I don't know why the fandom doesn't have stories with Yui as a human, maybe because before Alicization it wasn't really an idea? The opening theme for the newest SAO season_ _ ***spoiler***_ _has a piece that hints in to Yui being born into the real world as a test tube baby and bottom up AI,_ _ ***end spoiler***_ _but it clashes horrendously with the LN so I don't know._

* * *

 _ **I neeeed things to read! So if any of you know any other SAO fanfictions that are pretty good, Kirisuna included please, will you guys review them? I need inspiration beyond the way AU things I'm writing lately XD**_

* * *

 _Heart Rates and ALO Dolphins_

 _ALO_

" **When those girls were clinging to you I noticed your heart rate increase Daddy!"**

" **I'm a guy! That's what happens when girls get too close!"**

* * *

Yui had been recently reviewing data she had acquired as of late, and something she never really understood suddenly came to the front of her processors. She remembered when she and Daddy were saving Mommy from the original ALO's world tree, and something he had told her after his fight with Eugine and having the leaders of the Cait-Sith and Slyph's clinging to him. He had answered her upset remark about how he had been flirting with them from her point of view by saying that he was a guy, and that his heart rate had spiked whenever any girl got too close. So how come it didn't happen whenever Mommy was that close? When Mommy was hugging him or clinging to his arm and shrieking in fear at an Astral Type monster and demanding he killed it, his heart rate didn't spike as it had before. Why?

Looking up at her parents she was a little more confused. Daddy was sprawled on the grass of the fields outside Arun, with his arms tucked under his head, hair moving in the breeze, and peacefully looking up at the blue sky above him. What confused Yui was that Mommy was lying on the grass next to him, the back of her head resting on his chest while she strolled lazily through ALo's newspaper above her, blue eyes flicking from side to side as she read. Mommy was right next to him, so how come his heart rate was normal? She didn't understand human psychology, but she knew Mommy did for the most part, especially relating to boys, so she would ask her!

Getting to her feet and brushing off her small pixie clothes, Yui flew into the air and landed on her Mommy's outstretched fingertips from where she had been about to scroll down the newspaper's page.

"Mommy? I have a question that I don't have to answer to and want to understand!" She stated proudly and in a determined fashion.

* * *

Asuna blinked in surprise, but agreed immediately, it wasn't often that Yui didn't understand something and couldn't figure it out on her own, but when it did she was glad to help. "What don't you understand Yui?" She asked her daughter as she sat up and prodded Kirito to do the same, blue eyes fixed curiously and gently on her daughter. "I'll do my best to answer it for you."

Kirito sat up behind her and Yui looked at both of them before beginning to ask her question. "Daddy told me after he prevented the Salamanders in the original ALO that his heart rate jumps whenever girls get too close and that he wasn't flirting with them, which I understand, but what I don't understand is how come his heart rate doesn't spike around you Mommy?" She cocked her head in a confused fashion, "if there's a physical reaction to something then shouldn't it apply to everyone?"

Asuna blinked once, absorbing the information, and looked at Kirito out of the corner of her eye with a rather discrete glare that made the teenage wince and sheepishly rub the back of his head. "Sort of," she looked back at her daughter, and heard Kirito's soft sigh of relief to have her not glaring at him, only to punch him in the shoulder like she had more than a few times in SAO. "It should, but there's a difference between me and any other girl. I've been around your father on a daily basis for almost a year and half broken into chunks in SAO, so he's used to me being close to him. Another thing is my choice in clothing," she smiled at Yui, "I still wear a skirt, but mainly only my arms and a little bit of my neck are exposed, an odd choice for people who haven't experienced SAO." She giggled and nudged Kirito in the side with her elbow, "your father, and virtually every guy on the planet think with their eyes and their stomachs, not much else."

Kirito gave an indignant huff and muttered, "at least I'm not Klein," but didn't interrupt her or contradict her.

Yui joined in on her mother's giggles, "okay Mommy!"

Asuna's smile turned cheeky and she twisted to look at Kirito, shifting closer and leaning on one of her arms. "That doesn't mean his heart rate doesn't ever jump around me, it just doesn't if I cling to him like Sakuya and Alicia do."

Kirito's cheeks pinkened and his crossed his arms over his chest, "yeah, whatever."

Asuna looked back at Yui, "does that answer your question Yui?"

"Yes Mommy, thank you very much!" Yui giggled and looked at her father, "you're silly daddy!"

* * *

"Argo was right," Agil smiled, his eyes fixed on the gray shapes leaping out of the water, "those are dolphins all right."

"I'll be damned!" _**(it's Klein… he has a bad habit of swearing some how every other second in the English Dub :P )**_ Klein grinned, "and they're only revealed for an Undine, isn't this great! This is gonna be awesome man!"

Kirito rolled his eyes, and lightly shook his head, the girls' conversation behind him had stopped the moment a dolphin appeared, and he could accurately guess Asuna's star-struck reaction behind him.

"Woah!"

"It's really true!"

"Wait, Asuna, what're you doing?"

The light bell sound of a menu change was heard, and Kirito stumbled as someone pushed past him and raced down the sand, kicking up sand and running toward the dolphins, "they're soo cute!" Asuna squealed and giggled as she raced down toward the water, having exchanged her battle gear for a white and red trimmed swimsuit with a bikini top with a ribbon bow at the front and a skirt like bottom with a matching larger ribbon bow, red armband on her left arm and what looked like a red scrunchie on her right wrist. A bright red rosemallow _**(Red Hawaiian flower)**_ was pinned in her long blue hair to the left side of her braid, and her feet were bare. The waves crashing against the sand softened to faint ripples as the Undine approached and completely stopped the moment one of her feet touched the water.

"Good grief," Liz sighed with a roll of her fuchsia-colored eyes. "She's obsessed with cute things."

"Daddy, your heart rate jumped!" Yui suddenly giggled from her father's shoulder, who tripped over a rock but quickly caught himself, and looked at him curiously, "how come?"

Kirito's face pinkened and he awkwardly coughed before he shrugged and kept walking with Klein and Agil, averting his eyes to the sand while Asuna continued her laughing dash into the sea water where one of the few dolphins in the game jumped out on the water with their special chirps and one floated at the surface, slapping the water with its tail at the sight of an Undine player approaching them. "No idea Yui."

"Well we were warned that the dolphins give Undines this weird status effect called True sight or whatever and seem how cute a fluffy puppy is to the rest of us," Leafa pointed out as Asuna waded into the water only to throw her arms around one of the dolphins' middles and brush one hand over their snout, laughing. "Plus, Asuna's always been drawn to adorable creatures."

"Like Pina!" Silica inputted with a smile and stroked her feathered dragon with a smile.

"True… oh, what the heck, come on!" Liz and the rest of the girls switched their gear as well and ran after Asuna, Liz shouting at her best friend, "wait up Asuna! We want to meet them too!"

"But it was only with mommy this time," Yui reasoned as the rest of the girls ran past and Kirito didn't bat an eye lash and cocked her head, "I don't understand…"

Kirito paused, his gaze flicked over to where Asuna was now giggling as one of the dolphins nuzzled her face and another swam around her, jumping out of the water and chirping as it emerged. He waited till Agil and Klein were out of hearing shot before he looked at his daughter and then looked back at Asuna, onyx-colored eyes fixated on his in-game wife with a soft smile. "Because Yui, your mommy's the most beautiful girl in the world, and sometimes, her beauty catches even me by surprise."

Yui was quiet for a moment, thinking about her father's words and feeling extremely happy to be their daughter, warmth burning in her chest at her father's obvious love for her mother. Then she spoke, "okay daddy, I understand now," she beamed at him with a smile and flew around near his face, "Mommy's really pretty all the time, but today she's even more pretty right?"

Kirito smiled at his daughter, "you're right Yui, she's an angel today."

Yui giggled, only to move back away from her father with a start as Asuna hooked an arm through Kirito's and tugged him toward the sand.

"Come on Kirito, you have to see these!" Asuna's blue eyes were sparkling brightly with happiness and excitement, she was a little out of breath, and she looked beyond beautiful in her swimsuit with water droplets clinging to her skin and long blue hair, of which was a little darker where it had been floating on the water behind her. "They're cuter than Silica's dragon!"

Kirito managed to pick his jaw up off the ground and stumbled over to his words, "w-what? Oh, uh sure?"

"Well hurry up and change or I'm dragging you down there like this!" Asuna teased, clearly in a hurry to return to the water and admire the dolphins while she was under the spell effect **[** **TrueSight]**.  
Kirito clumsily manipulated his menu to change gear as Asuna dragged him toward the water, barely able to keep his footing and pay attention to where he was stepping with the beautiful girl giggling next to him and the water sparkling under the ALHeim sun. _She's beautiful…_

Just before they actually reached the dolphins Asuna threw her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist, making him fall into the water while she was giggling in his ear to the moment where they fell forward with a splash.

Kirito almost had a heart attack and fumbled to keep Asuna from hitting the sand beneath the water with the koala bear style hug and the way she was clinging to him. He tried to slow his heart rate to keep Yui from asking more questions, but ultimately failed when he opened his eyes under the water only to find Asuna's blue pools inches from his own, her eyes soft and sparkling with happiness in that way he had seen every day in SAO during their honeymoon, the two week break from the front lines. Their honeymoon…

Kirito finally understood where this had come from, the situation reminded Asuna of floor twenty-two of Aincrad, where they spent at least a few evenings playing in the water of the various lakes and acting like little kids on their honeymoon.

After a moment, he broke the surface of the water, and grinned at Asuna, resting his hands on her waist with his eyes twinkling softly as well.

Asuna giggled and rested her forehead against his, a full smile on her face, the way the corners of her blue eyes wrinkled up, the dimples at the side of her mouth fully defined, and the happy sparkle in her eyes reminded Kirito vividly of the beautiful, even through the mist of her tears, smile that she had given him when he had proposed to her in SAO. A special smile he hoped to see more of.

Leaning forward, Kirito meant to lightly kiss Asuna's nose, or peck her on the lips, but got a mouthful of water instead as one of their friends splashed them.

"Break it up you two! We're supposed to be having fun, not watching you two be all mushy!" Liz complained and splashed them again, "even if one of you are my best friend!"

Kirito splashed her with a roll of his eyes and opened his mouth to speak, only to feel a strange energy he recognized as magic enveloping him and Asuna and Asuna murmuring a strain of words, "þik, ek kveða ásjá vágr ór ausa undan vald." _**(þik, the area around the caster, ek, the caster, summon protection wave of water under my control.)**_ Water shot out of Asuna's outstretched hand, pulling water from somewhere else in ALO to blast from the hand of the arm she had unwrapped from Kirito's neck to form a massive wave between her and Kirito, and the others.

"Oh come on Asuna!" Liz complained from behind the massive wave, no doubt a little wary of the massive thrumming wave between them. "What kind of cheating Undine magic was that?"

"Just a water spell," Asuna shot back, "and I'll gladly release the water over the five of you here in a second so you better start running." Asuna's amber eyes twinkled with mirth beyond her happy smile and, with Yui racing away from the wave giggling atop of Pina's back, she kissed him in a loving fashion.

Kirito responded in turn, moving his arms to wrap her in a loose yet loving embrace, holding her close. The kiss was slow and gentle, a moment purely for themselves even as their friends raced away and the dolphins chirped and jumped from the water in their own formation and pattern. Kirito's world in those few seconds consisted of the beautiful girl wrapped in his arms, her slender form held gently in his arms with the lightweight of her arms on his shoulders, fingers playing with the hair at the nape of his neck, and soft lips on his. He couldn't be happier.

"Run!"

"Klein move faster!"

"Pina come back!"

"You guys have wings remember?"

"Doesn't matter! It's magic water remember?!

Even when with a light flick of Asuna's wrist, the massive water of water collapsed falling away from them and leaving the water around them in a circle undisturbed and peaceful, was Kirito happy. While the actual wave crashed down atop their friends and the dolphins adjusted their jumps to go with the waves, chirping in laughter as the players were thrown under the water and remerged, spluttering and or coughing while Yui giggled further away. Asuna's other arm wrapped around his neck, her fingertips lightly brushing over his skin as she moved her arm. Now Kirito's world was complete to the T.

* * *

 _ **Ah, such a happy piece. Anyway, the story's not dead, I just had a shoulder surgery and have to type one-handed for the most part. Also, I have most of the requests started, I've just been stuck with this surgery and a slight lack of inspiration for them, I actually have 162 pages and 88 thousand words worth of stuff for the SAO fandom, but I haven't finished all of them and or some of them are going to be one-shots or connected one-shots in a series. Like the upcoming one-shot "Butter Knives and Togas," and the next upcoming chapter for "the Hacker's Role" which displays Caylee's special SAO weapons, anchored blades.**_

 _ **So I am working on the SAO stories, I'm just forced to type really slowly and there's only so much I can stand before I have to do something else due to my patience being taxed.**_

* * *

 **Status of Current Requests**

 **Kirito Comforts Sinon after GGO Spin-Off "I Will, No WE Will Protect You"**

Up to where Kyouji pulls a gun on Asuna and Sinon's heart starts racing from panic

 **Leafa Aids Kirito with Sugou (Guilded Hero Alt. Ending) "Who's Going to Save Kirito?"**

Almost finished, needs some special dialogue and touching up

 **Asuna's Nightmares and Kirito's Rage "They Don't Stop… I'm So Sorry Asuna…"**

Title modified, up to where Sugu teases Asuna and Kirito about the sleepover situation.

 **Leafa Babysits Yui Alone For The First Time "What if I Mess Up? You Won't Auntie!"**

Beginning for the 4 parts written. Chapter spans 4 worlds, "Asuna's Killed," "ALS" "Just ALO" and "Broken Warrior," so will be longer than average.

 **Asuna's Attacked and Blinded on One Side "Asuna, You're Still Just as Beautiful"**

Up to Asuna being attacked and is groggy, loopy, after surgery and doesn't have her usual speech filter due to meds and her low tolerance for them.

* * *

 **Upcoming Named Chapters**

 _Kirito… Just Hold On A Little Longer… ~ Part 3 of the "Asuna's Killed in ALO" series_

 _The Hacker, Hated or Loved? ~ Hackers Role Crossover_

 _Paralyzed From the Beginning ~ What if Asuna was paralyzed IRL, what would Kazuto do?_

 _ALS, Asuna's Sisters ~ Asuna has two sisters, a very cute gamer of a best friend, and a whole summer to spend with her friends, what can go wrong and what can go right?_

 _What am I going to do with you? ~Asuna's under pain meds and Kirito fumbles for what he's supposed to do._

 _You Idiot! ~ They weren't supposed to fight IRL, but Asuna's Kirito's, and boy is he going to prove it._

 _IRL Lighting Flash ~ Asuna's a track team runner, Kirito's a young boy with skill with technology. When an accident happens and Asuna's rendered unable to pursue her dream, will the antisocial inventor come to her rescue?_

 _I… I've Killed Too Remember? ~ Alt GGO moment, where Asuna shoulders Kirito's burden for him and takes matters into her own hands. Death Gun, meet the Sword Dance of Black and White._

* * *

 **Other SAO Stories**

 _I'll wait for as long as it takes Kirito_ _~ Kirito has decided after being in a party with her for a year, that Asuna's potential is limitless. So she needs to be with a guild, the new third guild called the KoB. But to get her there he may have to push her away to get her to leave him and join the guild. However, one sentence stops him in his tracks 'Because I love you! I love you much to leave...' (Kirisuna)_ _ **(COMPLETED) (Sequel Completed) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _New Memories And Resolve_ _~ Numbed by rejection and heartbreak, Asuna is at a loss of what to do. So she makes the hard decision to follow Kirito's wishes and join the KoB, purely for his sake. However, Kirito wants one more day with her, a last day of making new memories and and giving her the strength to go on. "I care for you more than you'll ever know Asuna…" (Sequel to 'I'll wait as long as it Takes Kirito) (Kirisuna)_ _ **(Completed) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Butter Knives and Togas_ _~ Argo needs info, Asuna and Kirito volunteer, they find out there's a reason no player escaped the dungeon, and it's a miracle Kirito can take his eyes off of Asuna at all. Plus the next boss fight is in two days, their inventories have been snatched, Kirito's wearing armor he can barely stand in, Asuna looks like an angel, and they're armed with butter knives. Seriously Kyaba? (Piece of the past)_ _ **(To be Uploaded)**_ _**|I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Please… Don't Do this_ _~ Asuna's had enough. The lonely and tired girl gazed below at the water from where she was sitting, was it worth it? And if so, what could change her mind? A boy with black hair, scars on his face and hands, and a pleading look that behind it all shows he's just as abandoned as she is. Heavy AU_ _**(Coming Soon)**_

 _The Hacker's Role_ _~ I unknowingly helped make the game unhackable from the outside, and now I'm going to make up for my mistakes. I wasn't originally trapped in the game, but now? Now I'm the mystery that keeps players alive. I was a Beta Tester alongside my childhood friend 'the Rat,' and now I'm nicknamed "the Hacker" or "AI." Why? Because in other players eyes, I can't be killed, so I will beat this game. (Collection centered around Caylee's involvement in SAO.)_ _ **(In Progress)**_


	18. Paralyzed From the Beginning (SAO, IRL)

_**~S10MC2015~**_

 _I think so? One of my friends gave me the prompt and told me to write the cliche so here I am. However, it's a separated story on purpose so it you don't want to read it you don't have to and it won't be in Little Moments._

 _ **~Anon2~**_

 _I'm glad you liked it, I have no idea where it came from XD_

 _He does, but it's hilarious and now he has bribery material if he ever wants to use it, which would be funny to see. (It's really funny I promise)_

 _ **~K2-Black-Panther~**_

 _Me either to be honest, I can't wait to have it finished!_

* * *

 _ **I had this half finished before the surgery so I took what I have finished and spruced it up a little to become this! I have an upcoming second half that has everyone else's reactions to Asuna along with a few misc scenes of the future, but I may keep those hidden and expand on them later… I don't know, anyway, enjoy!**_

* * *

 _Paralyzed From the Beginning_

SAO in a way had been a blessing to Asuna, her life had essentially fallen apart last year after an attempt on her life due to her being the daughter of a CEO, and now everything had changed. Her sister Kizmel had taken her from her parents for a little while as she adjusted. Adjusted to having her entire world turned upside down and her parents' hopes and dreams for her crushed like a tiny bug.

* * *

Asuna could hardly breathe, she was trembling in fear, her amber eyes were wide, scared and full of tears, and she wanted to believe it was all a dream. But it wasn't, being forced to stand there with her wrists tied, a gag in her mouth that was making her throat and mouth itch, and with the tip of a knife poking at her spine made the fourteen-year-old want to cry and hope desperately that it was just a dream.

Seconds later it was confirmed that it wasn't a dream when her body went rigid, she screamed through the cloth in her mouth and she arched her back, pain riddling her entire body in that one action from the man behind her. She heard the gunshot but saw nothing as her knees buckled and she kept screaming, wanting the pain to go away, to leave her alone, in peace.

She could hear a man yelling something about not letting her fall, but it was too late as her shoulder came in contact with hard cement and the rest of her body followed suit. Asuna nearly blacked out when her head hit the pavement, but was rudely kept awake by the sudden massive spike of pain in her back. It felt like each nerve was on fire, like she was hyper-aware of the area directly around the injury and the way her upper part of her spine was slowly growing with pain.

"Asuna! You'll be okay, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry pumpkin!"

Asuna vaguely heard her father practically sobbing and felt his tears dripping onto her face, the liquid causing even more pain to riddle her small body, but couldn't respond, sobbing herself and screaming while her back made the teenager want to die just to take the pain away, it hurt… it hurt like she was on fire…

Suddenly the pain around the injury and anywhere lower vanished, leaving Asuna with relief but blurry confusion.

"W-What do you mean she won't walk again?" Those were the last words Asuna heard, the words sounded slurred and confused in her brain, but the message rang clear. Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.

* * *

After that point, living in a wheelchair and more than mildly depressed, Asuna lived on autopilot, doing what she was told and throwing herself into forgetting what happened to her. Soon she became the top student at her school despite not physically going to school almost at all and went to therapy after therapy to try and fix her back. She wasn't paralyzed, cause she could bend her knees, wiggle her toes, get her legs to stretch out in front of her, but she couldn't consciously move them amongst the other problem. Every day more than a few times a day she would get these excruciating fits of pain at the messed up area of her spine, the pain was bad enough that she usually couldn't do much other than groan and or cry, and had to be lying down on her stomach or sitting slumped in something during them. The last issue was the biggest problem, Asuna couldn't walk. She couldn't handle her own body weight on top of her back screaming at her and flaring up badly at the added pressure, so she was confined to a wheelchair, and her mother was unforgiving about it. Her father was more guilty than anything, her brother tried to take care of her and help when he could, and her older sister Kizmel took her away for six months, home to Kizmel's house and away from her controlling and always disappointed mother.

However, it was SAO that gave Asuna ironically, the will to live again. At first it had been hard to get used to, being able to run, jump, sprint around, and move without confinements was hard but enthralling. For a while she had forgotten that she and ten-thousands other players were trapped in the game as she got used to her freedom and giddily defeated monster after monster, met other players, and only Argo, the first person Asuna had met in the game, knew about how Asuna, Aincrad's Princess and the Lightning Flash wasn't able to walk IRL. Argo comforted her like a big sister through the still painful bouts she got in her back that were a lot more sparse and could usually escape them for days at a time, and eventually, even Kirito helped her through them too. The sweet Black Swordsman found out about the bouts of pain the hard way when they had been working together to solve a murder mystery only to had Asuna collapse on the way back from talking to a player named Yoroko, her face whiter than a sheet and would've been sweating if it had been the real world.

* * *

"A-chan!" Argo burst through the door of the inn room, hazel eyes wide, and yet all Asuna could do was groan weakly and look like she was going to get sick from where she was sprawled on her stomach on the inn room bed with Kirito standing worriedly near her.

"What's wrong with her?" Kirito asked the short blonde as she scurried over to Asuna and quickly manipulated Asuna's menu for her.

"Not the time to explain Kii-boi, just turn around and be quiet for a minute." Argo huffed, most of her accent having bled out of her voice in her concern for Asuna, "it's complicated and has to do with her Nerve Gear." She quickly switched Asuna's equipment from the rather close fitting KoB uniform to looser casual clothing once Kirito had turned around, pushed back her hood properly, sat down and gently applied a little pressure to Asuna's spine just below her neck. "That painful?"

A twitch of the head no.

"Her Nerve Gear? But I've seen Asuna fight for the past year and a half, she doesn't have any sensual impairments," Kirito turned around after a few moments, having heard the bell sound of the equipment manikin's equipment being confirmed and locked in place. "And what kind of Nerve Gear affects her back?"

"Not back, spine," Argo responded back and lightly pushed down between Asuna's shoulder blades, "here?" Another no. "What about here?" just below her ribs.

Asuna flinched but shook her head.

"Not the source, gotcha," She frowned and lightly touched Asuna's back at the waist, only to have Asuna stiffen up and groan, "there it is."

"There's what?" Kirito asked, highly confused, "what's going on?"

"Asuna's nerve gear has these weird shorts where it gives her these massive spikes of _actual pain_ instead of the dimmed discomfort, and she can't move without her hp draining like it's got a leech problem."

* * *

Since then Kirito had comforted Asuna through them, even in the middle of the night after a raid or long day of labyrinth mapping when her groan of pain woke both of them. But she hadn't really thought about what would happen after SAO. When they got out of the game how would Kirito react to finding out that she couldn't walk? That she wasn't as strong as she appeared to be in the game?

It was something that haunted her over the first month of being free from the game with him. While he had been moved to the room next door under her quiet request, she was still nervous and uneasy about the upcoming conversation and had even pleaded with her father not to tell him yet so that _she_ could tell him, herself.

She knew his sister and aunt knew, they both always smiled encouragingly at her even though she wasn't making any movements toward getting out of the hospital bed she was in. They even helped fend off some of Kirito's worries that Asuna wasn't getting better since he hadn't seen her stand up yet. At four weeks after getting out of SAO, she had to tell him. He was worrying more than what was healthy.

And so here they were, Kirito perched on the hospital bed next to her, looked at her with his gently concerned onyx colored eyes Asuna loved so much and never wanted to lose.

Asuna was sitting up, and had gotten her sister's help in having her legs hanging over the edge of the bed before Kirito got there, and her amber gaze was currently directed at her lap, unable to say what she wanted to say, the words escaping her usually strategic and intelligent mind. "I…" She took a deep breath, "I-I have to tell you something," she said quietly at a volume that Kirito could hardly hear. "B-but please don't run away from me."

Kirito's hand rested comfortingly on her back, fingers splayed and Asuna let his warmth help comfort her and give her the courage she needed. "Why would I ever run away from you?"

"B-because," Asuna stammered, "IRL I'm a different person, I'm… I'm not capable and as strong as I was in SAO, K-Kirito." Her amber eyes gazed over blankly at a wall as she lifted her head, "I'm a broken warrior now."

Kirito scooted a little closer to her and half awkwardly took one of her hands in his free one, "so? I'm not as strong here either, I'm just a smart loner with no social skills and a million flaws. What could make you do different Asuna? Even here IRL you're amazingly strong, and you still Asuna the Lightning Flash, and my very beautiful partner," his thumb lightly brushed over the bare skin on her ring finger where her wedding band in SAO had rested for little over a month. "None of that could change, ever-"

"I can't walk Kirito," Asuna spoke in a rather ashamed whisper and looked away from him and down at her feet, tears gathering in her amber eyes, "I'm practically paralyzed here, IRL. I'm not capable of being that independent and strong person you and everyone else knew in SAO," tears threatened to fall and she clenched a fistful of her blue-ish white pants with her free hand, "I can't even stand," her voice wobbled and she sniffled to keep back her tears, "the reason I had that Nerve Gear problem is because of my spine in the real world, I get identical but more painful fits if I even try to stand up or even if I'm doing nothing at all!" Tears spilled down her face, angry with herself that she couldn't be the Asuna Kirito had fallen in love with when she couldn't do much of anything without someone's help. She sobbed, "I had to relearn how to stand and walk in SAO, and the only reason Argo wouldn't sell you the information about the Nerve Gear malfunction was that it's a lie! I had to lie to everyone, after all I had to fight, and Argo had… Argo had to teach me how to walk and jump, and fight! I spent the first month working to stay upright and be normal!" She ducked her head, "and after having to carry the weight of ten-thousand players on your shoulders for two years, why would you be okay with the fact that I can't walk, or do anything here IRL?' She sobbed some more, "I'm just a broken warrior now Kirito, a warrior that can't stand on her own two feet!"

After a few moments, where Asuna though Kirito was going to leave, she felt him wrap his arms tightly around her thin body and hold her head close to his chest, lightly running his fingers through her long hair and shaking a little alongside her.

"I would never leave you," Asuna heard Kirito speak in a rather thick tone, "and Asuna, you're even stronger and more beautiful than before," she didn't get a chance to object as he continued, sounding as though he may cry himself. "You went through so much more than even I did in SAO, you had to go through so much… so much just to be able to fight for all of our freedom and flawlessly pretend you weren't harboring this secret, and I love you, even more for it." He swallowed hard and gathered Asuna a little more in his arms, holding her just a little closer, "do you remember when I told you that if I found another side to the one I love I'd love them even more?"

Asuna, who had fallen silent through Kirito's short explanation, burst into tears again and returned the embrace with all her strength, crying into his shirt, finally relieved of what she had thought would happen when she told him only to be proved wrong.

"You told me that when we escaped to the real world you'd find me and fall in love with me again," Kirito's voice was thick with emotion again and Asuna felt him press his lips to the top of her head once he finished his sentence, "well I've already done it, I've already fallen in love with you again, my beautiful warrior."

Asuna just cried, touched by Kirito's words and having finally found peace for the first time since she had returned to the real world.

* * *

 **Status of Current Requests**

 **Kirito Comforts Sinon after GGO Spin-Off "I Will, No WE Will Protect You"**

Up to where Kyouji pulls a gun on Asuna and Sinon's heart starts racing from panic

 **Leafa Aids Kirito with Sugou (Guilded Hero Alt. Ending) "Who's Going to Save Kirito?"**

Almost finished, needs some special dialogue and touching up

 **Asuna's Nightmares and Kirito's Rage "They Don't Stop… I'm So Sorry Asuna…"**

Title modified, up to where Sugu teases Asuna and Kirito about the sleepover situation.

 **Leafa Babysits Yui Alone For The First Time "What if I Mess Up? You Won't Auntie!"**

Beginning for the 4 parts written. Chapter spans 4 worlds, "Asuna's Killed," "ALS" "Just ALO" and "Broken Warrior," so will be longer than average.

 **Asuna's Attacked and Blinded on One Side "Asuna, You're Still Just as Beautiful"**

Up to Asuna being attacked and is groggy, loopy, after surgery and doesn't have her usual speech filter due to meds and her low tolerance for them.

* * *

 **Upcoming Named Chapters**

 _Kirito… Just Hold On A Little Longer… ~ Part of the "Asuna's Killed in ALO" series_

 _The Hacker, Hated or Loved? ~ Hackers Role Crossover_

 _ALS, Asuna's Sisters ~ Asuna has two sisters, a very cute gamer of a best friend, and a whole summer to spend with her friends, what can go wrong and what can go right?_

 _What am I going to do with you? ~Asuna's under pain meds and Kirito fumbles for what he's supposed to do._

 _You Idiot! ~ They weren't supposed to fight IRL, but Asuna's Kirito's, and boy is he going to prove it._

 _IRL Lighting Flash ~ Asuna's a track team runner, Kirito's a young boy with skill with technology. When an accident happens and Asuna's rendered unable to persue her dream, will the antisocial inventor come to her rescue?_

 _I… I've Killed Too Remember? ~ Alt GGO moment, where Asuna shoulders Kirito's burdern for him and takes matters into her own hands. Death Gun, meet the Sword Dance of Black and White._

* * *

 **Other SAO Stories**

 _I'll wait for as long as it takes Kirito_ _~ Kirito has decided after being in a party with her for a year, that Asuna's potential is limitless. So she needs to be with a guild, the new third guild called the KoB. But to get her there he may have to push her away to get her to leave him and join the guild. However, one sentence stops him in his tracks 'Because I love you! I love you much to leave...' (Kirisuna)_ _ **(COMPLETED) (Sequel Completed) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _New Memories And Resolve_ _~ Numbed by rejection and heartbreak, Asuna is at a loss of what to do. So she makes the hard decision to follow Kirito's wishes and join the KoB, purely for his sake. However, Kirito wants one more day with her, a last day of making new memories and and giving her the strength to go on. "I care for you more than you'll ever know Asuna…" (Sequel to 'I'll wait as long as it Takes Kirito) (Kirisuna)_ _ **(Completed) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Butter Knives and Togas_ _~ Argo needs info, Asuna and Kirito volunteer, they find out there's a reason no player escaped the dungeon, and it's a miracle Kirito can take his eyes off of Asuna at all. Plus the next boss fight is in two days, their inventories have been snatched, Kirito's wearing armor he can barely stand in, Asuna looks like an angel, and their armed with butter knives. Seriously Kyaba?_ _ **(To be Uploaded)**_ _**|I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Please… Don't Do this_ _~ Asuna's had enough. The lonely and tired girl gazed below at the water from where she was sitting, was it worth it? And if so, what could change her mind? A boy with black hair, scars on his face and hands, and a pleading look that behind it all shows he's just as abandoned as she is. Heavy AU_ _**(Coming Soon)**_

 _The Hacker's Role_ _~ I unknowingly helped make the game unhackable from the outside, and now I'm going to make up for my mistakes. I wasn't originally trapped in the game, but now? Now I'm the mystery that keeps players alive. I was a Beta Tester alongside my childhood friend 'the Rat,' and now I'm nicknamed "the Hacker" or "AI." Why? Because in other players eyes, I can't be killed, so I will beat this game. (Collection centered around Caylee's involvement in SAO.)_ _ **(In Progress)**_

 _Little Moments_ _~ "I belong in our little cabin in the woods with you and Yui, Kirito." Little moments in the world of SAO, ALO, and in real life with Kirito and Asuna as the main characters. Asuna and Kirito have gone through so much, but behind the scenes, they've gone through even more than what meets the eye._ _ **(In Progress)**_


	19. Patched Realities

_**~Anon2~**_

 _Gueeesss what? Your request with Asuna being blinded is almost finished! I had a major inspiration burst for it and I have just a new more scenes on it to complete!_

 _And thanks, I try my best to make the chapters worth the wait even if they're rather short due to my crazy work schedule._

 _ **~K2-Black-Panther~**_

 _Thanks! this one's even better_

 _ **~Luchux~**_

 _Thank you, I enjoy writing fluff and angst and comfort, it's fun XD_

 _ **~S10MC2015~**_

 _I did misunderstand, sorry about that! And it is a seperate story, although I'm a little grumpy how it turned out, it's not as great as I want it to be._

 _Thanks for your concern, I'm getting there, I have a week or two left of being in the sling, but I can type with two hands now, so that's good._

 _ **~Immortal Shinigami~**_

 _That chapter (What it?) is a pretty good one, but if you liked that one then you'll like Chapter 18: Paralyzed from the Beginning, Chapter 16: Our Child in VR and IRL, and this one Chapter 19: Patched Realities. They'er all angs, comfort, and fluffy chapters._

* * *

 _ **Hmm… I could make this longer, but it would take a while longer and I feel bad because of how long it's taking. It's not quite finished, I have a goal to further expand on the world by a lot, but I wanted to upload it and see what you guys thought about it.**_

 _ **So basically I had the idea of a real Aincrad after reading Worlds Collide and Worlds Apart (I think that's the title anyway) and they were really good and inspiring so I wrote my own version of it. I apologize about the long wait for the chapter, but I hope that it's length and concept makes up for it.**_

 _ **Ps, I'm too lazy to fix all my grammer mistakes... sorry...**_

* * *

 _Patched Realities_

"Game over Kirito," Heathcliff's steel colored eyes were disappointed, disappointed in the young man in front of him for not being strong enough to beat the game. His greatsword flashed with red light and swung down toward the young man, his expression completely unchanging.

"Kirito!"

"No!"

"Kyaba stop!"

"Commander!"

The other players' cries rang throughout the massive boss room, only making Kirito continue to stare at the sword coming at him with only a few thoughts in his mind. _Asuna… take care of Yui and finish this… for me…_

A yell, louder than anyone else's rang through, "KIRITO!" It was made by a voice Kirito would always remember, deep in his heart, and the heartbroken panicked sound from his wife's mouth would haunt him for years. "NO!"

Half a second later Kirito forced his eyes open at the sound of clanging metal and the pressure of someone stumbling back into him. Only to quickly catch the person, his eyes widening in shock and horror. "No…" he breathed, looking at Asuna's pained amber eyes and holding her up from falling to the floor. His sword clattered to the floor just as he fell to his knees, eyes fixated on Asuna's diminishing health bar. "You cant…" he croaked as the long beep that signaled her health being completely depleted, "don't… don't leave me!" He held her to his body, noticing how she barely moved, unable to summon the energy to move. "Asuna! Don't go!" He felt choked, like he couldn't breathe, even in a virtual world where he didn't need to breathe at all.

Asuna's vision faded, Kirito saw her amber eyes glaze as she lightly grasped at his shirt before her avatar glowed, and a short sentence escaped her lips. "I love you, so much…"

"Asuna!" Kirito cried, pressing her to his body like it would stop her from leaving him, "don't go!" He whimpered, "I need you!" Her weight lightened till he couldn't really feel her in his arms, "Asuna!" The black Swordsman's onyx colored eyes glittered with tears, "Asuna!" Asuna's avatar shattered into polygons, floating up into the air and dispersing. Leaving Kirito to hunch over and press the heels of his palms against his eyes, momentarily breaking down, trembling all over. "ASUNA!"

Everyone was still, even Heathcliff who looked sadly down at the Black Swordsman for a few minutes before he spoke quietly, his voice strong and yet only loud enough to be carried by the silence. "I've seen enough. Players, prepare for Aincrad's next stage, and be prepared for what comes next. Black Swordsman," he lightly touched Kirito's shoulder, "you'll see her again in this next stage." He straightened up and looked at a specific point in the air, "citizens of the real world, get ready, for Aincrad isn't a game any longer."

A blinding flash of light filled the room, expanding outward till Aincrad as a whole was enveloped in the blinding light.

* * *

 **Tokyo 2028, November 7th, 2:30pm** **〘** **SAO's End** **〙**

Suguha brought her hands up to her mouth, tears welling in her eyes. Her brother, her quiet sweet brother, just lost everything, everything. After watching bits and pieces of the stream that had lasted the past five years, where she was now seventeen years old and had been watching her brother live and grow through the SAO stream, she hadn't seen this coming. Not in a million years.

Midori gave a muffled sob, both of them fixated on the tv in front of them. Midori's son and Suguaha's brother was currently on his knees, trembling and clearly trying yet unable to get ahold of himself, of his feelings and wayward emotions.

"Onii-chan…" Suguha murmured, wide eyes still fixed on the tv. "You have to keep going Onii-chan… You have to!"

Her words were useless as Heathcliff spoke, heard clearly through the stream as the camera, that usually followed Kirito and some of the other players around, faced Heathcliff, who was looking at Kirito with a rather grave expression. "I've seen enough. Players, prepare for Aincrad's next stage."

"Next stage?" Suguha looked at her mother in confusion, "what next stage?"

"And be prepared for what comes next. Blackswordsman," Sugu's blood boiled at the man who dared to touch her brother after swinging his sword to deal Asuna's killing blow. "You'll see her again in this next stage." Heathcliff straightened up and looked directly at the camera, causing chills to go down Sugu's back, "citizens of the real world, get ready, for Aincrad isn't a game any longer." With those words the tv was lit with a blinding white glow and Sugu covered her eyes, Midori mirroring her. Moments later, when the light dimmed down, the tv was black with words displayed across the screen. 'The stream has ended.'

"The stream ended?" Confusion swirled around in Sugu's head, what was going on? What next stage? And how could Aincrad not be a game? "What's going on?!" she asked, looking over at her mother with a look of confusion.

Midori shared Sugu's confusion, but she was already dialing a number and holding her phone up to her ear. She was silent for a moment before someone picked up, "Kikuoka? What's going on-"

She was cut off by the ground shaking violently, causing vases and trophies from shelves to crash down and shatter on the floor, paintings and pictures to come loose, glass to shatter from the frames, and windows to completely shatter as well.

"Ah!" Sugu shrieked and lifted her arms to protect her face from the flying glass.

"Kikuoka!" Midori yelped and dropped the phone to cover her face as well.

"Get outside!" Kikoka's voice could be heard faintly through the phone, "and keep your phones on you!"

Sugu followed his advice, managed to get to her feet, scooped up the phone, and ran dragging Midori behind her by the wrist. Sugu ducked to protect her head and quickly threw open the door and raced outside, only for her mouth to drop open. "Are you seeing this?!" She shouted over the rumbling and lifted the phone to her ear.

"We're seeing it!" Kikuoka yelled back, barely audible over the phone, "is Midori with you?!"

"Yes!"

"Is that…" Midori trailed off and pointed at the massive shape that seemed to be desending from the sky in a controlled fall above the Pacific Ocean. A massive cone shaped steel castle with a tapered end toward the top and a base that looked like it was torn out of the ground with massive roots curling around the bottom with broken ends. The base of the actual castle flared out into parallel sloped circles around it's uprooted base that jutted out in ten pathways where massive swords perched, their crossbars connecting with the rod like pathways. The castle was rough, with many level built on top of one another, each level clearly able to be seen from the outside, and up at the very top stood a castle the size of Toyko bathed in vivid red. The swords on the castle were steel like the castle, a metallic grey with the blades each being a bright white.

Sugu had seen it on the cover of SAO, and on the stream every time it was loading in and the camera was searching for her brother. It was Aincrad, the very prison her brother had been virtually stuck in for five years now. "It's…" She could barely speak, unable to believe that the castle was there, in the real world. "It's…" She started running, running toward the closest dock, her eyes fixed on the castle above.

The massive castle crashed into the water moments later, sending massive waves throughout the water ending with high waves slapping at the beaches and city barriers only to send water sprinkling down on the inhabitants like a sprinkle of rain. The only damage the castle did was when three of the massive swords slammed into the ground, sending earth flying _**(I'm pretending Tokyo's on the coast :P I don't live in Japan XD)**_ as they buried themselves up to their cross bars.

Suguha felt the water hit her face as a wave smashed into the dock she was standing on and rained down on her like a mini raincloud, and watched, amazed as Aincrad settled itself on the water, bobbing softly like it weighed nothing. "It's…"

The magnificent castle's swords lit up, glowing a bright light like street lights, as if inviting the world to venture into its depths.

"Aincrad." She and Kikuoka said the same thing, the government official sounded just as stunned as Sugu.

"It's real, I'm staring at it, but how?"

"Who knows Kikuoka," Sugu responded quietly, awe in her voice, "it's Aincrad, it shouldn't exist in the first place."

* * *

 **Town of New Beginnings, Real Aincrad November 7th 3:30pm** **〘** **It's Real…** **〙**

Kirito's head spun and he groaned, feeling like the world was actively spinning around him. He felt different, his body was heavier, more solid, more real actually. He still felt roughly the same size as he had been after the growth update a few years ago. Meaning he was still bigger than his fifteen-year-old self which was good, it had been hard to adjust to being taller and a little less lanky than when he was in the beginning of SAO, and would be even harder to go backwards. However, he noticed one other change right away. He could _feel_ his clothing. SAO was good at replicating things, but it had always lacked a little when it came to having things constantly touching the body, so when he could actually feel the cloth against his body, he was startled.

Kirito jumped to his feet with a rather undignified yelp and looked at his arms and body, studying how the cloth felt against his arms, and it felt like it had before SAO… Kirito yanked up his sleeve and looked at the belly of his arm. In SAO there wasn't anything different from the rest of his skin, but now? _**(totally giving Asuna some freckles XD)**_ There was a faint scar where he had burned himself on electrical wiring when he had built he own computer as a kid. Kirito's heart stopped. Something had changed, changed drastically. He looked wildly around, wondering if anyone else had felt anything and was shocked to find almost all of the surviving players all sprawled on the ground or standing up like he had, alarmed and confused.

"People of Aincrad," a familiar and very hated voice spoke throughout the city, his voice carrying and echoing just like it had that fated first day, even though now he was nowhere to be found. "I'm sure most of you have realized that there's something different about Aincrad, everything feels different does it not? Allow me to explain why. My steel castle, floating in the sky, I don't know how old I was when I came up with it, but since I was a kid I've dreamed about a world away from Earthly law with laws of it's own."

"Get on with it already!" someone yelled furiously and Kirito couldn't help but agree. He wanted to know why everything felt this way and what happened.

Kyaba ignored the outburst and continued speaking, "so I made it my dream, working toward creating it and one day allowing the world to see it. At first I experimented with a virtual model, and it became the game known as Sword Art Online."

Kirito's eyebrows furrowed, where was he going with this?

"Once I deemed it successful I launched the game, intending to find a population for my future project. The project of which has at least been finished, and you, the ten thousand players, are part of the population to make up this beautiful project."

Kirito's eyes widened and his jaw threatened to go slack, he understood, Kyaba's project… His project was more than SAO, more than virtual Aincrad. It was bringing Aincrad to the real world.

"What does that mean?"

"What's going on Kyaba?!"

"What did you do to us?!"

Kirito could only stare into nothingness, _the nightmare of SAO to these players just got a million times worse._

"This project brought Aincrad to life, and now my friends, enjoy the world that is Aincrad! SAO was never intended to be finished, it was intended to become real, part of the real world, Earth! Behold Aincrad! Earth's newest continent!"

Kirito couldn't breathe. Aincrad was real, SAO had been brought to life, and Kyaba had just made them all citizens of a new country not all of them wanted to be in. Other players roared in outrage and it was almost like the first day of SAO all over again except Kirito smiled, a soft smile appearing on his nineteen-year-old face as he looked up at the floor one's sky. _I can have both worlds, my family from the real world and Yui, Yuuki, and Asuna-_ his thoughts screeched to a halt. Asuna… Heathcliff had gotten her, killed his wife. Kirito fell to his knees, clenching his hands and fighting to breathe and fighting back the tears. How could he have forgotten? Asuna was dead, killed by the very man who had forever trapped him here. Kirito's heart wrenched and his squeezed his eyes shut, lower lip trembling as he struggled to keep it to himself, at least long enough to find a private place to grieve. Aincrad was a constant reminder of her, and he was never going to see her again. A sob slipped from his lips and Kirito couldn't hold it in anymore, he hunched over his knees and cried, crying not for being stuck in a new IRL Aincrad, but for Asuna never getting to see it with him. "Asuna…"

* * *

 **Mystery Room, Real Aincrad November 7th, 4:30pm** **〘** **Awakening** **〙**

"As...un...a… wa...ke… up…"

 _Someone's calling my name…_ Asuna noticed dully as some of her senses returned, her eyes were closed, yet she could see the time and other information on her HUD, so she knew she wasn't dead or IRL, so where was she? _What happened? I remember Heathcliff's sword…_ Asuna flinched and almost lifted a hand to her chest, where she could almost remember the discomfort and panic in her head at being slashed by a sword right through the shoulder to her opposite hip. _And Kirito trying to keep me there with him…_ Her brain felt fuzzy and confused, and her body felt sore, like she hadn't moved for a long period of time. She didn't recognize the voice faintly calling her name and telling her something, or maybe she did and was too groggy to figure it out?

"Asuna!" Her hearing was clearing up now, she could hear the full word and not broken syllables now. "A-chan get up! You've been sleepin' forever!"

The nickname was a dead give away. Asuna jolted upright, amber eyes snapping open and jolting into an upright position at the realization that it was Argo's voice calling her only to violently knock heads with her older sister. Akira's, who was known as Argo in SAO, voice and accent had always been off in SAO, mainly due to the system's struggle to recreate her special breathing twitch without a full body scan of Argo's lungs and airways. Asuna saw stars, Aincrad's Goddess her sister's head was hard! "Ow!"

"Yeowch!" The blond brought her hands up to cradle her injured forehead and stumbled back away from her, "did ya have to give me a headache A-chan? C'mon!"

"Give you a headache? Your head's practically steel!" Asuna groaned in response and hunched over with her eyes now closed, cradling her head in her hands.

Soft giggling and the feeling of a blanket being wrapped around Asuna's shoulders alerted her of another person in the room with them, a room she had barely gotten a glimpse of. "At least she's awake now Argo," the girl spoke in a soft and rather timid tone, like her voice was infused with said emotions. "So we can try and find out the other people you were talking about and find out what's going on."

"Ya, when the world stops spinnin'," Argo groaned and faintly sniffed, like she needed the extra air after speaking. Or like her airways twitched, making her breathe in sharply in the form of a sniff.

Asuna froze for a second at hearing the sound something she hadn't heard since _before_ SAO. Her eyes snapped open again and she seized the shorter girl by the shoulders, "you sniffed!" Her amber eyes were wide and fixed on her sister's face, "you sniffed after you spoke Ak-Argo!" She hastily used the gamer handle with the third girl around who she could see out of the corner of her eye. "You've _never_ done that in SAO, never! SAO gave you that weird nasal inflection instead remember? You've sniffing after you speak!"

Argo blinked a few times before she furrowed her eyebrows, "really? Make's ya wonder how long I've been doin' that." With that she sniffed again, her nose twitching slightly as she did so. At the sniff, that she was consciously paying attention to, her hazel eyes widened like golf balls and her jaw slackened. "How?" She looked confused, "we're still in Aincrad right?" It donned on her, her face going rather horrified as she spoke slowly, "Asu, whazzit mean if we're in Aincrad and I'm sniffin'?" As if to emphasize her point, Argo sniffed again.

Asuna's expression turned a little horrified herself and she released Argo's shoulders, half in a daze, "it's real… the only way for you to be sniffing like that without a scan of your airways is if it's real…"

Argo nodded and for a few moments they just stared at each other, mulling over the idea of Aincrad being real.

"Argo, Asuna, what does that mean? It's real?" The third girl asked rather timidly and Asuna jumped, having forgotten that she was there.

Argo spoke before Asuna got a word out, "we're aint sure yet Sachi," the name rang a bell in Asuna's head, "let's get goin' we still gotta find where we are. Right A-chan?" _**(I'm getting lazy about Argo sniffing after every phrase she says, just know that she does that)**_

Asuna looked at the third girl, and with a start she recognized her, Kirito had told her about her, a member of the Moonlit Black cats… who had died in game. "Wait, Sachi, how long have you been here?"

Sachi blinked at her before she responded thoughtfully, "a four or five hours? I woke up first, Argo woke up on her own and we've been trying to wake you for two hours."

Asuna felt a lump growing in her throat, "Argo, what happened before you woke up here?"

Argo scratched her cheek, which miraculously still had her painted on whiskers, and looked thoughtful too, "I was trackin' a few red players through a forest and got hit with a poison arrow..." her expression turned horrified and she looked at Asuna, "wait all three of us died? A red played got meh before I used an antidote crystal, Sachi died in the dungeon with the other Black Cat members, and, hold on, how did ya die A-chan?"

Asuna lifted a hand to her chest where Heathcliff's sword slashed through her, "Heathcliff," she stated quietly, "he's actually Kyaba, and I tried to save Kirito and got slashed…" She straightened and her amber eyes widened, "Kirito! Oh my Aincrad, we have to get out of here and now!" She scrambled to her feet, "come on, we have to get out of here and find out what's going on!"

Argo nodded and then snorted, "ya A-chan, buut, don't you think you should find something else to wear? A blanket ain't gonna be useful for ya with anyone but us."

Asuna blinked, looked down, and gave a yelp, her face now a flaming red.

* * *

 **Town of Beginnings, Real Aincrad November 7th 5:00pm** **〘** **Mourning For Asuna** **〙**

"Daddy?" A quiet voice broke Kirito from his numb thoughts a little while later probably at least an hour, and Kirito couldn't summon the energy to open his eyes and respond to his young adopted daughter. "Daddy, are you okay?"

Fresh tears welled in Kirito's eyes and he remained lying on his side, one arm covering his eyes, silently grieving for the loss of his wife, love of his life, battle partner, and life long companion. _I'm sorry Asuna… I broke my promise…_

"Daddy you're scaring me… What's wrong?" Kirito felt two small hands try and shake him, and heard the fear in his daughter's voice, but couldn't do what she was asking him to do. "Daddy? Daddy wake up!"

"Yui! There you are! Did you find Dad?"

Kirito's heart only broke further at the voice of his other daughter, and fresh tears were absorbed by the fabric of his shirt. He wanted to get up and hug them both, relieved to find that they're both okay, but he couldn't. His heart was broken to little shards, and even his two daughters couldn't put the pieces back together, not without their mother. Not without Asuna.

"Yeah Yuuki!" Yui called to her sister, her small voice much more high pitched then her sister's, "but he's not waking up!" Kirito felt her try and shake him some more, "Daddy! Daddy wake up!"

"What do you mean he's not waking up- dad!"

Kirito heard the pounding of feet and felt his much stronger and older daughter forcibly roll him onto his back and felt a lock of her long hair tickle his cheek, which made his heart give another stab of pain. Asuna's hair had done that, if she leaned over him for whatever reason her long hair always tickled his skin and she had known it. Which had led to a lot of goofy moments with her chasing him giggling and him running away laughing.

"Dad, are you okay? You hurt? What happened? Did the boss battle and the shift hurt you?" Yuuki rattled off questions in her usual fast speaking manner and Kirito's shoulders shook slightly. Asuna had always managed to answer each one of her rapid fire questions, remembering each one and answering then when she was finished the question ranting, and he sucked at it, Yuuki spoke too fast for him to really be able to catch everything she was saying. "Yui, go get Liz and Agil!" Kirito heard Yui's small pattering footsteps as she ran off and Yuuki kept talking to him. "Hang on dad, you'll be okay, I promise! I don't know what's wrong but I'll fix it just you wait and see!"

 _I wish you could fix it Yuuki,_ Kirito said mentally, his throat closing up at the little reminders of Asuna in his two kids. They were adopted, with Asuna having found Yui in the beginning of the game as just a baby, and experiment of Kyaba's, and Yuuki having been found little before three years ago. They had been taking care of the two of them for forever, even before they had gotten married, Asuna had Yui with her and for a few months Kirito had taken care of Yuuki with Asuna's help. Even then, they were _their_ kids nobody else's, and they loved them dearly.

Yui was five and a half looked a lot like Asuna, with similar features, big doe eyes, and long hair that Asuna had grown out for Yui when she said she wanted to have long hair just like her; with the color of her eyes, hair, skin, and rather lanky build from him. Yuuki was twelve now, with long hair that was about half as long as Asuna's that was now dyed purple, and pink hued amber doe eyes. She was similar to Asuna in body shape at that age, yet liked dark colors like Kirito, and had the most energetic personality ever. The other players knew Yuuki was adopted, but most of them just assumed that Yui was Kirito and Asuna's, and they had been asked a lot over the past five years if she was biologically theirs due to the age and similarities.

"Yuuki," Agil's booming voice was gentle and soft, and Kirito felt a little comfort in having one of his friends around to help him. "Kirito's not sick or injured, he's just sad."

"But why? Why is he so sad that he won't wake up to even Yui shaking him?" Yuuki asked Agil worriedly, Kirito could hear it in her voice. "He's never that sad."

Kirito heard Agil sigh, "Yuuki, have you seen your mother yet?"

"No, I couldn't find either of my parents for a while, why?"

"Don't you think your mother would be here comforting him if she was here?"

"Well yeah, but she's not… but she's not here…" Kirito knew that it had clicked in his daughter's head even as Agil hauled him up into a sitting position and slapped him on the back.

"Kirito, you have two kids worried and not to mention that the rest of the group are worried sick about you. Atleast go home, everyone's waiting for you to go home to floor twenty-two."

Kirito let his arm flop to his side but didn't open his eyes, refusing. _I don't want to, Asuna…_

"Dad," Yuuki's voice, so scared and vulnerable was what eventually made Kirito open his eyes, only to see tears welling in her pinkish amber eyes. "Did… Did mom not make it?" She asked quietly, looking so vulnerable and scared that it broke Kirito's already shattered heart.

Kirito looked at his daughter, tears welling in his own eyes, "I'm sorry kiddo," he spoke in a hoarse tone, "Heathcliff… Kyaba got her… She was protecting me and Kyaba killed her." His throat closed up, "I'm sorry," he breathed, "it's my fault-"

Yuuki threw herself at him into a tight hug, "It's not your fault! You loved her!" Yuuki started sobbing and Kirito circled his arms around his daughter's back, "you didn't swing the sword, you didn't attack her, mom protected you! That's what matters!"

Kirito nodded and hugged his daughter closer, shutting his eyes and letting his own tears drip down his face and drop into her purple hair, wishing he could tell her Asuna was coming home that night, and that Asuna would be there to wake her up for sword training tomorrow morning if everything happened like that.

"Daddy?"

Kirito opened his eyes to see his other daughter cautiously walking toward him holding onto Liz's hand, nervous and rather scared while clearly worried about him. "Come here Yui," Kirito's voice wavered but he released Yuuki for a moment and sat criss cross on the ground and hugged his oldest with one arm and patted his lap with his other hand. "I have to tell you something."

Yui scrambled over to her father and sat in his lap, silver doe eyes focused on her father's face. "Is something wrong daddy?"

Kirito's heart clenched, how could he tell this little five year old girl that Asuna wasn't coming back? How could he when Asuna had always been there for her? Even before Yui met him for the first time, Asuna was with her, with Yui and raising her. "Yui… I don't know if mama's coming home."

Yui's silver eyes welled with tears, "why? Where is she? Where's mommy daddy?" she looked confused and concerned as she reached up and brushed away her father's tears, "why're you crying?"

Kirito swallowed hard and looked at his little girl, "She's somewhere else Yui, where it's quiet, and peaceful," he swallowed again, "where she doesn't have to fight anymore."

Yui burst into tears, "why did mommy leave me?" The young child wailed, "I want mommy!"

More tears welled in Kirito's eyes and he tried to hug her, only to have Yui screw up her face and hit his chest.

"I want mommy!" Yui bawled and refused to let her father hug her, wanting Asuna and not her father's comfort. "Mommy!"

Kirito sat quietly, bowing his head and tears dripping down his face while Yuuki sniffled in his one armed embrace and Yui repeatedly hit his chest, bawling and crying about how she wanted Asuna to come back.

Liz, with tears in her own eyes, picked Yui up and held her even as Yui tried to push herself away from her and hit her small fists against Liz's chest, knowing that Yui hitting Kirito and bawling wasn't helping the young man feel any better. Yui gave up hitting Liz after a few moments and just bawled, huddling close to her mother's best friend and crying the way only a heartbroken child could.

Agil spoke up, his own voice thick with emotion. "We should get them home Kirito," he spoke quietly to his ailing friend, "I'll handle dinner, but they should both be brought home where it's quiet and safe."

Kirito nodded lightly and got to his feet, still hanging his head, tears dripping from his face. "Let's go home," he murmured to his daughters, "it's dinner time." He couldn't help but shake a little at his own words, that Asuna wasn't going to be there with them that night.

"Kirito…" Liz spoke softly in concern, "are you okay?"

Kirito looked up at her and Liz's heart clenched. Kirito's eyes were red-rimmed and defeated, haunted by Asuna's death. "I will be because that's what she would want," he murmured quietly, "but my heart will always belong to her. That's not negotiatable."

* * *

 **The Sword Dance of Black and White (Floor 22), Real Aincrad.** **〘** **Not Everyone Died IRL Kirito** **〙**

Kirito sat with his head cradled in his hands. It was late, Silica was with Yui and Yuuki, the three of them were asleep on one of the couches.

Yui was curled up in a blanket Asuna had made her a while ago to practice her tailoring skill, Silica was sprawled on a couch, limbs going everywhere while under one of Yuuki's blankets, and Yuuki was asleep next to her sister, one arm thrown over her small sister's body and tucked under another one of her blankets, a purple one Asuna had put together as well.

Kirito was sitting at the table with his head in his arms and a mostly untouched plate in front of him. He hadn't said much since they had gotten home, had virtually given up on getting his two daughters to bed for tonight, and was silently grieving under Liz's watchful eye.

He hadnt moved much over the past hour, and had his eyes quietly closed, reminising about his and Asuna's adventures and just his wife in general.

Liz was sitting quietly in a chair at the table across from him, her chin resting on her hands while her pink colored eyes remained focused on her friend. Liz had grown out of her crush on Kirk to, after watching him and Asuna be perfectly happy with their little family for three years she had learned to love Kirito like an annoying little brother. She didn't know what to say, she was torn up over Asuna too, she had been her best friend, but what she had with Asuna, a sibling like relationship, was nothing compared to Kirito and Asuna's relationship. They were married for three years, battle partners for four, raised Yui together, adopted Yuuki, and more. Asuna had once told Liz that if she hadn't met Kirito she wouldn't have gone on to try and beat the game, and Liz believed her. She had met Asuna back in the first year of the game where the famous Aincrad Princess and red cloaked wearer had quietly asked to come into her shop and she had agreed. Asuna had been reserved at first, full of fire but hesitant to make friends, but over time she had warmed up to her to the point where they were now. Now they were practically sisters, even though Asuna was now gone.

"You can go home Liz," Kirito broke the silence with his croaky voice, "I want time to myself."

"Nuh uh, that ain't happening after earlier, you gave all of us a heart attack." Liz huffed and shook her head, "I'm not leaving till you look atleast a little better."

Kirk to opened his mouth to groan a complaint, but the glow of a teleportation outside and frantic footsteps stopped him short. He shot to his feet, standing protectively near the front door, one hand reaching for the sword shimmering as it emerged from his inventory. His remaining sword, Elucidator.

The front door was flung open and the person responsible stopped in her tracks, screeching to a halt in front of Kirito. Very familiar amber eyes, currently filled with shock and worry, blinked back at him and Kirito could only stare. Both because she had died in front of his very eyes, and because she was a little different. Just like how Kirito had changed a little after the IRL shift, Asuna had too. Kirito had gotten taller, less lanky and filled out more to fit his IRL age, and Asuna? Well if she was beautiful before then she was drop dead goregous now.

Asuna was taller too, standing at Kirito's nose, she was less of a teenager and more of the twenty-year-old woman that she was now. With her figure having settled on being slim but curved, she had filled out some more, her caramel colored hair was as healthy and bright colored as usual, and to his surprise Asuna had faint freckles along the bridge of her nose too faint for the Nervegear to have picked up on. Her shoulders, which were bare from the cut outs of her light green shirt, a shirt he hadn't seen before, had freckles scattered on her white skin too. They weren't even close to being as dark as Liz's, but they were still freckles. Light colored dots scattered along her open shoulders and even fainter ones on the backs of her hands that matched the nearly invisible ones on her face.

Kirito, his arms shaking slightly, lifted his arms and slowly placed his hands on Asuna's waist, relieved to be able to feel the warmth given off her body and able to feel her standing there. He felt like he was daydreaming, dreaming that Asuna was there with him, that Heathcliff hasn't taken his wife from him. "Asuna…?" He slowly said her name, the syllables rolling off his tongue in the familiar blending that was his wife's name. How? How was she alive? "Is that… really you?" He asked softly, and lifted his hands to cradle her face in his hands, thumbs settling softly over her cheekbones. "You're really alive?"

Asuna's amber eyes glistened with emerging tears and she lifted her hands to lightly grasp Kirito's wrists before she leaned into his touch. "It's me," she said quietly, "I'm really here."

 **Status of Current Requests**

 **Kirito Comforts Sinon after GGO Spin-Off "I Will, No WE Will Protect You"**

Up to where Kyouji pulls a gun on Asuna and Sinon's heart starts racing from panic

 **Leafa Aids Kirito with Sugou (Guilded Hero Alt. Ending) "Who's Going to Save Kirito?"**

Almost finished, needs some special dialogue and touching up (Currently on Hold)

 **Asuna's Nightmares and Kirito's Rage "They Don't Stop… I'm So Sorry Asuna…"**

Title modified, up to where Kirito gets frustrated at his sister and storms off to his bedroom while Asuna's asleep on the living room couch with Yui snuggled next to her. Yui's scared and frightened and the sound of Kirito's door slamming startles Asuna awake.

 **Leafa Babysits Yui Alone For The First Time "What if I Mess Up? You Won't Auntie!"**

Beginning for the 4 parts written. Chapter spans 4 worlds, "Asuna's Killed," "ALS" "Just ALO" and "Broken Warrior," so will be longer than average.

 **Asuna's Attacked and Blinded on One Side "Asuna, You're Still Just as Beautiful"**

Finished up to the start of the scene for the dedication of the SAO monument where SAO survivors are asked to wear their SAO gear for the day and Asuna's uncomfortable not wearing the sunglasses she usually wears to hide her eyes. (Scene Count Left: 2) The other scene left involves Kirito really convincing her it doesn't change her, she's just as beautiful as she was before the attack.

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 **Upcoming Named Chapters**

 _Kirito… Just Hold On A Little Longer… ~ Part of the "Asuna's Killed in ALO" series_

 _The Hacker, Hated or Loved? ~ Hackers Role Crossover_

 _ALS, Asuna's Sisters ~ Asuna has two sisters, a very cute gamer of a best friend, and a whole summer to spend with her friends, what can go wrong and what can go right?_

 _What am I going to do with you? ~Asuna's under pain meds and Kirito fumbles for what he's supposed to do. (Part of Asuna's Blinded Request)_

 _You Idiot! ~ They weren't supposed to fight IRL, but Asuna's Kirito's, and boy is he going to prove it._

 _IRL Lighting Flash ~ Asuna's a track team runner, Kirito's a young boy with skill with technology. When an accident happens and Asuna's rendered unable to persue her dream, will the antisocial inventor come to her rescue?_

 _I… I've Killed Too Remember? ~ Alt GGO moment, where Asuna shoulders Kirito's burdern for him and takes matters into her own hands. Death Gun, meet the Sword Dance of Black and White._

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 **Other SAO Stories**

 _I'll wait for as long as it takes Kirito_ _~ Kirito has decided after being in a party with her for a year, that Asuna's potential is limitless. So she needs to be with a guild, the new third guild called the KoB. But to get her there he may have to push her away to get her to leave him and join the guild. However, one sentence stops him in his tracks 'Because I love you! I love you much to leave...' (Kirisuna)_ _ **(COMPLETED) (Sequel Completed) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _New Memories And Resolve_ _~ Numbed by rejection and heartbreak, Asuna is at a loss of what to do. So she makes the hard decision to follow Kirito's wishes and join the KoB, purely for his sake. However, Kirito wants one more day with her, a last day of making new memories and and giving her the strength to go on. "I care for you more than you'll ever know Asuna…" (Sequel to 'I'll wait as long as it Takes Kirito) (Kirisuna)_ _ **(Completed) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Stolen Kisses, Iron Resolve_ _~ After seeing Asuna change drastically to the point where he sometimes fears for her life, Kirito wavers in his decision. What it really a good idea to seperate when Asuna was so torn up by it? They both falter, and for a few moments it's like it's gone back to normal. Something happens and Kirito's resolve is strengthened to iron. But is it really for the best? To push her away only to be drawn back to her and have to push her away again? (Sequel to 'New Memories and Resolve') (Kirisuna) (_ _ **In progress) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Butter Knives and Togas_ _~ Argo needs info, Asuna and Kirito volunteer, they find out there's a reason no player escaped the dungeon, and it's a miracle Kirito can take his eyes off of Asuna at all. Plus the next boss fight is in two days, their inventories have been snatched, Kirito's wearing armor he can barely stand in, Asuna looks like an angel, and their armed with butter knives. Seriously Kyaba?_ _ **(To be Uploaded)**_ _**|I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Please… Don't Do this_ _~ Asuna's had enough. The lonely and tired girl gazed below at the water from where she was sitting, was it worth it? And if so, what could change her mind? A boy from her past who's been looking for her since she beat him in a tournament two and a half years ago. 'I will NOT lose you! Never again!' Heavy AU_ _**(Completed)**_

 _The Hacker's Role_ _~ I unknowingly helped make the game unhackable from the outside, and now I'm going to make up for my mistakes. I wasn't originally trapped in the game, but now? Now I'm the mystery that keeps players alive. I was a Beta Tester alongside my childhood friend 'the Rat,' and now I'm nicknamed "the Hacker" or "AI." Why? Because in other players eyes, I can't be killed, so I will beat this game. (Collection centered around Caylee's involvement in SAO.)_ _ **(In Progress)**_

 _Little Moments_ _~ "I belong in our little cabin in the woods with you and Yui, Kirito." Little moments in the world of SAO, ALO, and in real life with Kirito and Asuna as the main characters. Asuna and Kirito have gone through so much, but behind the scenes, they've gone through even more than what meets the eye._ _ **(In Progress)**_


	20. Asuna Your Still Just As Beautiful

_**~S10MC2015~**_

 _Oh. Because it's a short story, the line breaks are the same as always, it's just that I titled each one like it's a chapter and gave a time it's happening at to help fill in the gaps between line breaks without the need of time skips. I won't use that style if you think it's hard to understand, I don't mind. As for Aincrad Realized is it really that similar? They both are an Aincrad becomes IRL, but I don't really see the vivid similarities between them_

 _ **~K2-Black-Panther~**_

 _Thanks! It took a lot of time to write, and this one took even longer XD_

 _ **~Anon2~**_

 _I'm glad! And Tada! Your request is finished!_

 _ **~Veronica Boire~**_

 _Thank you! I had waay too much fun with that scene._

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 ** _It's soooo long! I hope you all like this chapter!_**

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 _Asuna Your Still Just as Beautiful_

"Asuna!"

"Asuna-san!"

"A-chan!"

Kirito's head was spinning as he raced toward the frightened cries, which was pierced by a pained cry only half a seconds later. His pulse jumped, his heart pounding in fear at what he would see when he managed to get to the three girls. Why couldn't it all be over? Even after GGO, the Sleeping Knights, Yuuki recovering temporarily, and the ending of the fight with Asuna's parents with him and Yui, they couldn't have a normal life. In situations like this he wanted to stay in ALO with Asuna and Yui and live out his days in their small log cabin that more of a home than anything he had ever known. _I'm coming Asuna! I'm coming!_ This was his fault, ex. Laughing Coffin members had targeted his friends and Asuna had just happened to be there, spelling disaster that wasn't going to end well for anybody. He sprinted around the street corner and bolted toward the alley, the source of all the noise and commotion. He could hear more speaking now, faint like they were trying to keep it down.

"-we're at… with ex killer from SAO… yes… come quickly!"

He turned into the alley just as Asuna stumbled back into the view of a light in the alley, her balance shaky, stance off, and the Collapsable weapon in her hands, a thin pole like weapon similar to her rapier, was shaking and drooping at the tip.

"Aw, the little birdie can't see," the laughing coffin member mocked as they slowly approached her, "little baby Lightning Flash can't fight without her sight."

Asuna's voice shook, but she snarled her words with a furious and rather deadly snarl. "I can see enough to send you where you deserve," she hissed, "and to protect my family and friends from you Black!" Her weapon stabilized a little even as Kirito started running toward them and she darted forward, jabbing the weapon toward the Laughing Coffin member, who easily dodged Asuna's jab as she stopped short just a foot in front of him without hitting him, and cackled, swiping his thin dagger at her face and drawing a sharp hiss of pain from the girl.

"You need two eyes to see distance properly," the Laughing Coffin member cackled, "how does it feel to have your own vision betray you Princess?" He mockingly called her by a nickname from SAO, "your vision is failing you, messing with your head, how does that feel?" He lunged at her and caught Asuna by the front of her jacket, his knife held a milimeter from her face. "How about I make that perminant?" He spoke quietly in his cackle of a drawl, "the lightning flash is no more." The knife tip connected with Asuna's face

Asuna's scream and struggle to escape Black's grasp pushed Kirito into panic mode, his adreniline racing like it had once done in SAO every time he was fighting for his life and loved ones.

"Asuna!"

"Black you bastard leave her alone!"

"Get free Asuna! Come on!"

Kirito had forgotten about Liz, Argo, and Sinon being there too, and could just barely see them tied to eachother by the wrists with their ankles bound. "Asuna! I'm coming!" He yelled as he finally caught sight of the crimson blood staining the ground between her and Black

At the sound of his voice Asuna seemed to panic and she struggled harder, making the knife slip as she bit her lip to stop the scream of pain and grunt instead. "Don't! He wants you Kirito!" Her words were puncuated by coughs but Kirito could still hear the panicked fear in it. "Don't give it to him!"

To his utter shock and amazement, Asuna seemed to manage to get control of the situation, managing to grasp Black's knife hand with both of her own shaking hands and yank on it, she gave a sharp groan of pain as the blade was forced down her face, cutting into her cheek and skimming her chin.

"What the-" Black said in surprise as he fought with Asuna for control of the knife, the pair of them shaking from the exhertion to overpower the other. "How?! I had you!"

Asuna grunted, now able to easily hear Kirito's running footsteps, "you can damage me," she growled as she struggled to overpower the taller man, inching the knife further and further away from her, "but you can not have Kirito!"

Kirito saw her visibly push all of her strength into her arms at that moment and finally disarmed Black, the knife falling helplessly onto the ground near them before Asuna tackled Black to the ground with a battle cry Kirito had heard more than once in SAO, particularly when he or Yui were in danger. "Asuna! Let me help you!" He made it into the area and froze, there was more blood on the ground than he had realized, there was some on the wall, the knife dripped with blood halfway up the blade, and there was a distorted puddle on the ground along with drips that followed most of Asuna's movements.

Asuna ignored him, grabbed her weapon after a try where she missed it by a good six inches, and it sparked like a tazor when she fumbled to activate the hidden ability Liz had put into it. "I'm still the Lightning FLash," she snarled at Black who was staring at her wide eyed, "and your reign of terror after PoH is over!"

Black backled, "how can you be the Lightning Flash if you can't even grab an object the first try?" He cackled, playing with Asuna's mind and trying to make her feel weak. "I may go to prison, but I did more than anyone in Laughing Coffin ever did! I defeated the Lightning FLash-" His body jolted as Asuna swung her weapon at his head, shocking him with the strength of a police taser and knocking him out cold.

Asuna stumbled up and away from him, dropping the collapsible and bringing both hands to her face with a woozy groan. She wobbled like she was going to fall and Kirito kicked the discarded knife toward the other three girls before he lunged and caught Asuna before she completely fell. "Asuna!"

The sound of sirens could be faintly heard approaching even as Kirito's stomach and heart twisted at the sight of his girlfriend and SAO wife's face. Asuna's beautiful face was stained with blood, a thick film of blood hid her left eye and surrounding area while she had a slowly bleeding cut above both eyes, her right eyes had blood speckled near it, and she had a long but thin gash going down her left cheek that cut open her lips at the corner of her mouth and went down her chin. "Asuna…" He breathed, her body held partially upright held closely to him with her upper body held in his arms and her lower body partially on his knees. He felt tears well in his eyes at how Asuna's face screwed up into a look of pain and hurt even with her eyes closed, like she wanted it to all just go away, and that she knew how bad she looked. "It… It's not too bad," he tried to reassure her despite the tears welling in his eyes and the choking lump growing in his throat. When there was that much blood it was never a good thing, even if head wounds bled a lot more than anything else. Her blood was beginning to soak through his shirt at it kept bleeding, and Kirito was hesitant to wipe away the thick and sticky blood that kept bleeding to see what the real damage was. He selfishly for a moment didn't want to know what damage Black had down to his other half's face, and so he resolved to let the doctors take care of it first.

Asuna's right eye opened half way after a moment while her other didn't, and her left eyebrow didn't move as she furrowed her forehead, lightly wrinkled her nose, and slightly jutted out her shaking lower lip into a pitiful expression that broke Kirito's heart. She didn't say anything, too woozy from blood loss and now whiter than a sheet, but Kirito got the message. She was scared, scared the injury would take him from her, because she wasn't going to be the same anymore.

Kirito felt someone crouch down next to him and heard two other sets of footsteps behind him, saw Asuna's open eye wander above his head for a moment before it drooped shut, unable to keep her eyes open any longer. He lifted one hand, not noticing the blood on his fingers from touching her blood soaked shirt, and gently pulled her bangs from the sticky blood on her face before he held her close, feeling the blood on her face absorb faster into his clothing as he lightly pressed her face to his chest, comforting her. "We'll get through this," he murmured softly to her and smoothed her frizzy and dirty caramel colored hair, "together. I promise." As he said the last two words he felt Asuna go limp and he pulled back a little to look at her face, both tenderly and in fear.

The sirens were loud now, and they could hear people turning the corner and running toward them, but Kirito's attention was fixed on Asuna's face as his stomach turned and his heart wrenched. The fresh blood on Asuna's face had been absorbed by his shirt, leaving just the sticky half congealed blood on her face was was a darker shade. But Kirito could now partially see the reason for all the blood as fresh blood welled up over the injury, leaving an outline of what Black had done, and Kirito understood what he had meant earlier.

" _You need two eyes to see distance properly…"_

" _How does it feel to have your own vision betray you…"_

" _Little baby Lightning Flash can't fight without her sight…"_

" _How can you be the Lightning Flash if you can't even grab an object the first try?"_

The line of fresh blood welling up on Asuna's blood sticky face went from just above her eyebrow centered with her left eye, down _through_ where her eye was, and followed down her cheek, lip, and chin. The later part was likely cause when Asuna yanked the blade down and away from her eye.

Kirito's head spun dizzily and he wobbled like he was going to pass out, but he remained awake, onyx colored eyes fixed on the line of blood that was always spreading out over her face one again. _Asuna… he…_ He couldn't think, Black had ruined Asuna's life just to get to him and have bragging rights. He… He had _blinded_ Asuna on one side just to teach them a lesson. "He blinded you…" he breathed to the unconscious girl in his arms. "He actually _blinded_ you." Without depth perception Asuna's life was about to take a vicious turn. She would be considered legally blind due to the difference in what she distance her perceived to what was really there.

The person crouching next to him reached over and pulled Asuna's blood matted chestnut hair from her face and away from the injury, lightly tanned skin giving it away as Argo, a.k.a Akira, Asuna's older sister. "Yeah," she said quietly as the medical personnel and police men entered the alley, "ya saw her miss that jab, miss pickin' up her collapsible, and nearly miss grabbin' at his hands." Argo's voice wobbled, "Asuna won't be able to see like us any more."

Kirito's heart threatened to break, hearing the words come from someone else was the last straw and he gave a broken sob, tears spilling down his face even as medical personnel began to swarm them and take Asuna from his arms. _I'm so sorry Asuna… I'm so sorry!_

* * *

"Onii-chan!" Sugu rushed through the hospital, the rest of the group on her heels running toward her brother while Midori got them all visitor badges and kept a sobbing Yui busy while Sugu tried to get her brother to help with her, the six-year-old, almost seven, was hysterical after hearing that Asuna was in the hospital.

Kirito was standing alone at the double doors to the operating room, staring blankly at the wooden doors with the knowledge that down a hallway and in one of the operating rooms was his significant other, fighting possibly for her life due to the blood loss. Either way he didn't know if she was okay or she really fighting for her life and not just her vision, which was something he knew deep down couldn't be fixed.

Nearby Argo was speaking to her and Asuna's parents in a low tone, a rather flat and emotionless expression on the Rat's face, and Liz and Sinon were sitting in waiting chairs. Both of them had their wrists and ankles bandaged from rope burns and had a few cuts here and there with Liz sporting a developing black eye from shooting of her mouth at black before Asuna had arrive. Argo's wounds hadn't been treated yet, likely she had refused till she saw her sister again, and the short girl had angry rope burns on her wrists and ankles, worse than Sinon and Liz's due to how she had struggled to help her sister. She was beat up like Liz with a fat lip and bruising just below her right eye, and she had the dagger responsible for hurting Asuna wrapped in a strip of cloth and sitting in her back pocket, the bloody hilt easily visible.

At the sound of Sugu's voice Kirito turned around and faced the rest of the group who quickly slowed to a stop. Kirito looked lost and confused, his onyx colored eyes were red-rimmed with tears that were currently slowly making their way down his face, his black hair was sticking up funny from him running his hands through it and the blood on his hands making it stick up, his hands were relatively clean, with blood streaks from most of the blood going subconsciously into his hair as he worried, and his dark grey shirt had a large dark red spot that was darker at the edges as the blood on his shirt dried. There was a little blood on his pants and shoes, along with a smeared patch from the blood in Asuna's hair, and Kirito's expression made him look like a small lost puppy, unsure what to do with the world while Asuna was in surgery and away from him.

Sugu's breath hitched and she felt her heart ache at her brother's pain and look of lost confusion, and she pushed the bag she had over one shoulder into Klein's hands, who was right behind her. "Kazuto?" She spoke softly and approached her brother who didn't really move move than to blink and shift his weight from one side to the other in a small form of worry. "We brought you clean clothes and something for you, Argo, Liz, and Sinon to eat," her voice was gentle and worried, "are you okay?"

Kirito lightly shrugged and didn't say anything, unable to find his voice.

Klein unzipped the bag while Sugu looked at her brother, unsure how to help him, and pulled out a clean shirt and jacket. He slung the bag over one shoulder and walked over to the young man before he put a gentle hand on his shoulder and gave him a very light slap to the back. "I know you're worried man, we all are, but you have to at least change your shirt or you're going to make Yui more hysterical." He offered him the shirt and held onto the jacket for him, "atleast change your shirt and talk for you mom man, I'm sure one of the other three there will tell us what happened."

At the mention of his adopted daughter Kirito nodded bleakley and took the shirt from Klein and stared at it for a moment, as if unsure what to so with it.

Klein sighed and ran a hand through his red hair, "alright," he looked over at one of the only other guys there, "Agil, will you take Yui from Midori and send her over here?" He was showing an immense amount of maturity at the moment, knowing that this wasn't the time to break the ice with a joke.

Agil nodded from his position at the back and went off to fetch Midori.

Klein grasped one of Kirito's arms and pulled at the jacket sleeve, silently helping his in shock friend while waiting for Midori.

Kirito dumbly followed Klein's actions, helping a little but not very much, his mind occupied on other things.

A minutes or two later while everyone settled into chairs, Midori came hurrying down the hall, only to slow to a stop near her adopted son and give him a gentle and reassuring look. "Kazuto," she said quietly and her son's head, which had dropped so that he had been staring at the floor, jerked up and he looked at his aunt and adopted mom. "What would Asuna say if she found you still wearing that bloody shirt?" She asked, gently reprimanding him and pulling him from his numb daze.

Kirito glanced down at his bloody shirt and at the shirt in his hands before he moistened his lips with his tongue and spoke in a hoarse croak. "She'd call me an idiot and say that I'll get sick if I don't change."

Midori smiled, "she would now wouldn't she?" She walked over to him, "change your shirt kiddo, it'll make you feel better."

Kirito silently handed her the clean shirt and tugged his bloody one over his head without caring about everyone else seeing him shirtless. He stared at the clean shirt after he took it back from Midori, onyx colored eyes glazing over, lost in the daze from before once again.

Midori sighed, gently took the shirt from her son, and tugged his arms through the sleeves before she carefully pulled it over his head and smoothed out some of the wrinkles.

Kirito watched her do it, his eyes clearing as he just looked at his mom for a few moments, fighting against what he wanted to do.

Midori saw through it however and offered her arms to him for a hug, her expression gentle and concerned.

Kirito's eyes watered and the tears that had faded by the time Klein had helped him out of his jacket reappeared in his eyes only to start falling as his embraced Midori tightly and started sobbing, his heart breaking.

Midori softly stroked her son's black hair, wrapping him in a warm mother's embrace and gently rocking from side to side.

* * *

Argo told everyone what happened with the exception of Agil who stood out of earshot with Yui to prevent Yui from really hearing what had happened to Asuna. After that they waited, and waited, and waited for someone to through those double doors and tell them all that Asuna was okay, that she was going to be fine. The only input Kirito gave the others was that it was highly likely she wouldn't come out of there with proper vision, and it had made the mood more somber.

Kirito was sitting with Yui on his lap, his daughter was asleep, fitfully dozing curled up on his lap; Liz and Sinon were picking at the food Sugu had brought; Argo was sitting next to her and Asuna's parents, ignoring her wildly buzzing cellphone and the disapproving looks she was getting from Kyoko; Klein was sitting there running a hand through his hair and fidgeting; Agil had Silica sleeping against his shoulder; and Sugu and Midori were seated next to Kazuto, with Midori working on a knitting project, something she had taken up last year and was getting pretty good at, and Sugu looking worriedly at her brother with one hand wrapped around her brother's.

Finally, after the others had been there for an hour and Kirito, Argo, Liz, and Sinon for two, Someone came out. A doctor, wearing blue scrubs, a face mask, and a white lab like coat came out and pulled down his mask. "Family and friends for Asuna Yuuki?"

Kirito looked up at the doctor, carefully lifted Yui into a better position to carry the small girl for her age, and walked softly over to him along with Asuna's parents and Argo.

"Yes, that's us," Kyoko stated, her voice was even and calm as ever. "How is she doctor?" Concern tinted her voice a softer tone, concern she rarely showed for her youngest daughter.

The doctor sighed and Kirito's heart dropped in fear, "she's alive," the doctor said and everyone buzzed with quiet whispering comments, including those who had been filtering in as the news reached them. "However," the talking stopped imeadiately, "we couldn't save her vision. Asuna's left eye is blind from the damage done to it and she may half fuzzy flashes or moments where her other eye, her right, temporarily stops functioning."

"Why?" Argo asked quietly, asking the question they all wanted an answer to, "she wasn't injured on the other side."

The doctor looked at her, "you're right, she wasn't. But she did have a cut above both eyes that bled _into_ her eyes, causing some damage. She will still be able to see on that one side, but coupled with the fuzzy flashes and potential moments where she can't see at all, we have to say she's borderline legally blind."

 _I figured,_ Kirito said to himself with a sigh and listened to the rest of what the doctor had to say.

"Scarring wise she will have light scarring to her cheek, lip, and chin from the gash in her face, and a little more visible scar that goes like this," he raised a finger and held his finger at his eyebrow and pulled it down to just below his left eye. "We've done what we can to lessen the scarring on all of these, but it's impossible to completely erase the scars for cuts as deep as that one. Now, I'm sure you all want to visit her, but only immediate family until she wakes up and we see how she's feeling pain wise."

The doctor then looked at Kirito for a moment before speaking, "Asuna told us that a boy named Kirito should be with her before she wakes up, that you?"

Kirito nodded and adjusted his hold on Yui, "Yes."

"Your visitor badge says Kazuto, is there a particular reason for that?"

Kirito looked at him, onyx colored eyes growing rather fierce and determined, "Kirito's my nickname, Asuna prefers to call me Kirito over Kazuto."

The doctor slightly nodded, "good answer. Alright," he looked over at Asuna's family, "we usually only allow two people to come with us, but we'll make an exception if you all agree to be quiet and let her wake up on her own." He held open one of the double doors and Asuna's family began to quietly file through the door, waiting near the door for the doctor.

Kirito nodded and lightly shrugged his shoulders to wake Yui who stirred an lifted her head sleepily. "I'm going to go see mama," he said quietly to the sleepy girl, "stay here with grandma, Sugu, and Agil, okay?"

Yui nodded sleep riddenly against his shoulder and Agil came over to him where Kirito carefully shifted Yui into Agil's arms instead of Kirito's. Only once Yui was tucked in Agil's muscular arms and was looking sleepily at her father with her silver eyes mostly closed, did Kirito follow Asuna's family with the doctor temporarily bringing up the rear.

The walk to where Asuna was recovering was tensely silent, Kirito and Argo walking together ahead of the parents, Kirito looked worried and anxious, and almost jumped a mile when Argo lightly grasped his his hand and rolled her eyes.

"Calm down, you look like you're gonna explode Kii-boi. Asu's fine." Argo explained why she had grabbed his hand in a simple manner, and Kirito couldn't help but be thankful for the comfort and how she didn't flinch when he squeezed her till both of their knuckles turned white.

Eventually they reached the room, and Kirito hated how long it took for the doctor to unlock the door with his key card and pull it open for them all.

"Now be quiet when you go in, her body's gone through a lot today and it's likely that she'll be confused and disorientated and possibly in pain when she does wake up." The doctor told them all sternly before he pulled the door open.

Kirito nodded at his words and entered the room first, his eyes going immediately to the slender form of his loved one bundled under the hospital bed blankets lying on her back. The bed was raised up at a gentle angle to make it easier for her breathe with the breathing tube in her nose, she had an IV from the surgery in one wrist, pulse reader on her left index finger, and had most of the left side of her face hiding under clean white bandages like it would be for the next week. He said nothing to anyone, let go of Argo's hand, and instead sat down on the edge of the bed, carefully entwining the fingers of Asuna's free hand with his own. _We'll do this together, I promise_.

* * *

Kirito stirred awake by someone lightly brushing their fingers through his slightly matted from blood black hair. He could hear faint talking as he came to his senses, there were more than Asuna's family there judging by the many voices, and the atmosphere was lighter, happy almost.

"How long is he gonna sleep?"

"How long do you think it'll take for him to realize who's touching him?"

"Mama, daddy's still sleeping!" A voice near him complained and the blankets his head was on moved a little.

"Be careful Yui, she's not feeling well," another voice, which he now recognized as Liz's.

"It's okay," another voice, drowsy from pain medication and a little nasally from a breathing tube, said with some of her syllables slurring together. "He's really tired Yui," the voice mumbled and Kirito felt the hand going through it hair sloppily smoothed down his messy hair, "he'll wake up at some point."

Kirito slowly lifted his head up from the bed, taking the hand going through his hair up with him.

"There he is," Asuna slurred, she was looking lazily at him through half open amber eyes, well her right one anyway. The other eye was hidden under the bandaging on her face. Asuna lifted her hand and brought it back down to pat his head, only to accidentally over shoot so that only the end of her palm and wrist made contact with his head. "Darn it," she mumbled and brought her hand to her face and went to rub her eye, but Liz caught her hand from keeping it from brushing over her nose instead.

"Be careful Asuna," Liz sighed, "you're gonna need someone to watch you to make sure you don't poke yourself in the eye."

"Shut up Liz," Asuna grumbled, her speech filter clearly not apparent, "no I won't." She managed to rub her right eye properly before she dropped her hand and looked at Kirito, whose lips were twitching with amusement. "What? You're laughing at me," she complained in a slurred mumbled and moved to push at his face, only to stop short and just rest her hand on his face. "Stop it!" She whined, complaining while next to her, curled on the bed, Yui giggled.

Kirito smiled against Asuna's hand and took her hand before playfully pressing his lips against her palm. "Sorry hun, I'll stop laughing now I promise."

Asuna's amber eyes twinkled with a half smile due to the stitches in her lip and the bandaging over the cut. She settled a little more comfortably in her lying down position and let him hold her hand and tuck it under his chin.

Once virtually everyone left, complaining they were tired now that it was past midnight, and Asuna got another dose of the pain medication which caused her to giggle for about five minutes about how Kirito's hair sticking up a little in the back, it was just him and Asuna, Midori had taken Yui home to be put to bed once again for the night. He was sitting on the bed next to her, affectionately watching her play with his fingers, her usual grace in her movements nonexistent as she clumsily played with his fingers, struggling a little with her new altered depth perception. He would have to leave soon though for the night and go to sleep even though he had slept for an hour waiting for Asuna to wake up.

It seemed Asuna had been thinking something along the same lines, "stay with me," she slurred, amber eyes focused on him, or atleast the right eye was. Her left eye would remain closed for the next few weeks as it healed as much as it could and the stitching would dissolve.

Kirito sighed, "I doubt they'd let me stay Asuna, it's way past visiting hours."

Asuna tightened her grasp around Kirito's hand, and she frowned, jutting out her lower lip in the process. "Stay with mee," she whined in a half slur, pouting and tugging on his arm toward her.

Kirito thought about it, she needed someone to watch her and make sure she wasn't going to hurt herself and like Liz said, poke herself in the eye, and her parents had gone home, leaving her alone and by herself.

"I want you to stay with me, right here," Asuna patted a spot next to her on the bed as she scooted over, Kirito watching her carefully as she moved over, "sleep with me," she slurred, "we won't do anything, just sleep."

Kirito's face turned red and Asuna giggled, un aware of what she had said and finding his blushing face amusing. _These meds, they're going to be the end of me._ Kirito groaned mentally before he sighed and swung his legs up onto the bed and scooted over next to her, "okay fine, but if I get in trouble you're to blame."

Asuna pushed closer to him, rolling onto her right side and scooting back toward him. At least she didn't try to push her face against his chest, she would've hurt herself if she did that.

Kirito cautiously rested his arms around her waist, being careful to not hurt her. "G'night Asuna," he said quietly after he reached over her and pressed the small button to turn off the lights, only to get no response. By her deep breathing and still form, she had fallen asleep.

* * *

An alarm going off forced Kirito into the land of the living and away from his dead boulder of a sleep cycle with a sleepy groan. He knew what the alarm was for, it was for school again since it was Monday, but he didn't want to get up. It was warm, he felt sleepy and comfortable, and he didn't particularly want to go to school and deal with more rumors.

A complaining whine from next to him and the rustling of the blankets as they turned away from him reminded Kirito's sleep hazy brain that Asuna was finally back at his house after being stuck in the hospital for a few days and then she had stayed home for the past three weeks, till she could finally open both eyes and half adjusted a little for her wonky depth perception. Everything was a struggle, to the point where half the time Asuna got frustrated and shut both eyes to use her other senses instead. He knew their friends were hiding something from them, some kind of secret that involved Asuna that they hadn't told him about yet, but hadn't dwelled on it, focusing on making sure Asuna was taken care of.

"Come on you two," Sugu knocked on the bedroom door with a huff, "get up or we're going to be late! I'll set Yui on you Kirito!"

Kirito glared at the door with a scowl, his daughter was always hyper in the morning, as she would jump on him and the bed, giving him double the normal treatment since she couldn't do it to Asuna without hurting her. "I'm coming! I'm coming!" He complained, speaking loud enough for Sugu to be able to hear him, "we won't be late anyway!" He said as he reached over Asuna's shoulders to tap on his phone to shut the alarm off. He had set his alarm early today, Asuna was supposed to be going to school with him today, and he wanted to do everything he could to help her get ready for it and be comfortable. He knew she was hesitant about the whole idea, especially with how her left eye was after Black's attack. Her face was mostly healed up already, but there was one thing nobody could change.

Kirito tugged Asuna closer to him by the waist and lightly brushed his lips over her neck, murmuring a greeting against her skin. "You gotta get up hun, Sugu will kill me if we make her late to school."

"Don't wanna go," Asuna mumbled in response and kept her eyes closed, as if trying to fall back to sleep. "You can't make me."

Kirito rolled his eyes and rested his nose in her caramel colored hair, "you have to at some point Asuna," he murmured comfortingly, "it won't get any easier."

Asuna sighed heavily and rolled over in his hold to face him, keeping her eyes closed. "I know…" She hated opening her eyes in the morning he had noticed over the past few days, she would much rather keep her eyes closer all day and hide than open them and the brave the day without someone's encouragement. The healing scar that went through Asuna's eyebrow and down through her left eyelid was more visible when her eyes were closed, but Asuna didn't mind the scarring, she cared about how different her left eye looked compared to her other one now. Her eyes were still the same shape, same beautiful shade of amber, and showed the same amount of emotions, but…

Kirito leaned forward a little and brushed his lips over her eyelids, coaxing his anxious and worried significant other to open her eyes and at least give the world a try before hiding herself out of shaking nerves. "It's okay, come on, I _want_ to see your beautiful eyes." He looked softly at her, "we're going to do this, together, one step at a time Asuna, together." He rested one hand on her cheek, his thumb going lightly over her skin in a soothing fashion.

After a few moments of hesitation and reluctance Asuna slowly opened her eyes immediately working to focus well in the bright morning light.

Kirito smiled softly at having her looking at him with both eyes, even though her the color of the pupil in her left eye was faded slightly and a little bluish due to the scarring that had formed over the past three weeks, and if he paid enough attention and watched for long enough he knew that her left eye would twitch a little, something the doctors had said would be as lazy as it would get, which was good. "Just because you can't see out of one eye doesn't make you any less beautiful, remember that okay?"

Asuna nodded slightly before they both jumped, startled when Sugu threw open the door with an annoyed expression. She made a noise of frustration when she turned her head to see where Sugu was only to find her standing in her blind spot, and grumbled, being incredibly reluctant to go to school.

Kirito sighed, "I'm coming Sugu," he rolled eyes, let Asuna go, sat up, and slid off the bed into a standing position before he offered a hand to Asuna to take. Only to feel a pang of sadness when Asuna reached to take his offered hand, only for the tips of her fingers to barely brush against his hand.

Asuna's jaw tightened and she tried for a second time, reaching a little further and Kirito moving his hand toward her a little to help her get it properly.

Kirito could see the sympathetic look on his sister's face, especially when Asuna scooted to the edge of the bed and would've fallen backward off onto the floor when she moved too far this time if he hadn't been holding onto her, and lightly shook his head at Sugu when she moved to get closer and help Asuna too. _Asuna needs time to adjust,_ he tried to convey to his sister as he gently pulled Asuna's arm through his and led the way through his room, Asuna rapidly blinking to clear the vision in her other eye, _and she doesn't want to seem weak to anybody._

"I need your help," Asuna mumbled half under her breath to Kirito, cheeks flushing a faint pink and studied the floor beneath her feet.

"I know," Kirito smiled gently and waved off his sister before digging through the closet, "let's see… Where did Yui hide our uniforms this time?"

Asuna lightly shrugged her shoulders, but her lips quirked into a goofy smile, "she didn't hide mine, mine's hanging up." She pointed vaguely at where her school uniform was hanging up in the closet all nice and neatly, "I don't see yours though."

Kirito sighed, inwardly pleased that Asuna recognized the clothes in the closet since she hadn't really been able to pinpoint where they really were while her vision blurred. "Great…"

* * *

"Asuna! Kirito!" The shouts of their friends brought a smile to Kirito's face and knew Asuna would smile once she figured out how to get out of the car with her blurry vision on one side and blindness on the other.

"I should've listened to my dad," Asuna groaned in complaint as she reached over, touched Kirito's should to judge the distances and squeezed her eyes shut before sliding off the seat and out of the car.

"What did you dad say?" Kirito asked curiously as he grabbed their bags from the car and said goodbye to his mom.

"My dad I should bring the ridiculous looking cane to school," Asuna muttered moodily, "it's good for judging distances and all that."

Kirito laughed and offered her his arm, watching as she brushed her fingers over his shirt before finding the proper amount of space she needed to move to hook her arm through his. "It's okay, I'll lead you around then."

* * *

 **A month and a half since the accident went by and they began adjusting, settling into a rhythm that they were all okay with and made everything go smoother. Until they finally had one of the moments that the doctor had told them about where Asuna's vision would flicker and die, and it was stuck that way for over a day.**

At the moment Kirito was sprawled on the couch with some kind of cartoon for Yui playing with his head in Asuna's lap and Yui perched tentatively in front of her father, silver eyes fixed on the tv show in front of her.

Asuna's fingers were lightly brushing through his hair, she had one hand performing the action and was resting her other hand above his forehead, helping her guess the distance. Her head was turned toward a nearby window, the sunset warm light warming her face and occupying her attention move than a tv she couldn't see. Her vision was completely black at the moment, and unlike the first time it had done it, Asuna didn't seem scared. She seemed to be relatively okay wearing black sunglasses with white rims and red edging Kirito had picked out teasingly last year and used to not wear. Now she wore sunglasses almost every day to hide her left eye's now mostly milky blue pupil from the scarring and at the moment, the heightened amount of red in her right iris. She also had earbuds in, listening to music and drowning out most of the world at the current moment.

Kirito didn't have a problem with it since she took them off when it was just them, but their friends had voiced worries that Asuna wasn't going to be able to take them off and ever let them all see the resulting injury even once. He, her parents, Argo, and the doctors were the only one so far who had actually seen Asuna's eyes since the attack, and Asuna was hesitant to show anyone else.

"Kazuto!" Midori suddenly raised her voice from the kitchen, "someone's coming to see you-"

She barely got the words out before the front door was knocked on and Sugu got up before she went and pulled it open.

"Hello?... Oh hey guys, what're you all doing here?"

"I'd love to chat and explain exactly what we're doing," Liz panted and Kirito sat up and looked at the door to see Liz holding a massive bag of what looked like… dog kibble? "But this stuff is heavy!"

Sugu hastily let Liz and the other in, "okay, but why're you hauling around a fifty pound bag of kibble?-!"

Klein hastily covered Sugu's mouth and pointed toward Asuna and shook his head.

Liz let the kibble drop with a resounding thud once she got inside and put her hands on her hips with a smug grin, "just look will you?"

Kirito's jaw dropped as Silica walked into the house, a dog trotting calmly at her heels. The thing was that it had a red and white service vest on it's back, had a handle on the vest for the handler to grab, was big enough to stand at a little higher than Asuna's knees and was a pure white German Shepherd. He turned to look at Asuna to see if she noticed anything unusual and found her patting her lap for Yui who hastily sat in her mother's lap while Asuna slightly shakily braided her hair. So he leaned over, gave her a kiss on the cheek, murmured something about getting some water, that she probably didn't really hear anyway with her headphones in, and hastily went over to his group of friends. "What're you guys doing?!" He hissed, eyes wide at the sight of a dog in his house, one that vaguely resembled Tilnel's wolf from SAO, "and what's this all about?!"

Liz rolled her eyes, "I talked to Asuna a while ago, a few days after the surgery when she wasn't on pain medication and she told me she hated the idea of having a cane and so I found a different option. It's not like we can coop her up at home every time her vision blinks out, she's still Asuna, and Asuna's not a fan of being cooped up in one place for too long, just like you Kirito. So after like a month and a half of searching around and training, we all pooled our money and got Asuna a guide dog. She doesn't know yet though, so keep quiet till we set everything up."

Kirito sighed, "alright, but if it doesn't go according to plan this is going to suck. I'll keep her busy." He headed back to the couch where Asuna was finishing up Yui's braid and lightly tugged on one of Asuna's earbuds.

Asuna made a noise of disapproval and lightly slapped his hand away from her ear before she pulled out the earbuds on her own. "Yeah?"

"It's almost two, we should probably work on lunch for Yui," Kirito explained, "plus everyone's gonna come over in a little while so we could have lunch out for them too."

Asuna tilted her head a little as she thought about it and secured Yui's braid in place, "okay," she decided and Yui slid off her lap to plop down in front of the tv again.

"You stay here Yui," Kirito told his daughter and ruffled her braided hair, "we'll be back in a minute.

A few minutes later Kirito was spreading the mayonnaise on the last sandwich and Asuna was finishing cutting up some tomatoes, the meat for the sandwich was quietly cooking, and Kirito was watching fascinated at Asuna's skill with a kitchen knife. Even without her sight she was a wonder to behold in the kitchen. By making sure her fingers were lined up with the knife and never lifting her hand higher than her mother wrist, she could slice away at the vegetable in front of her and not once cut her fingers.

"Hey Asuna!" Liz chirped and trotted into the kitchen, a big grin on her face that Asuna couldn't see.

Asuna finished cutting the tomato in front of her, lips twitching into a smile, "hi Liz, what's up? We're just finishing up lunch."

Kazuto looked over at Liz who nodded and he rolled his eyes and mouthed, 'Are you sure about this?'

Liz just flashed him a dazzling smile and took Asuna by the hand. "Come on, I have someone for you to meet, and you're gonna want to meet her."

Asuna pulled a face but she let Liz drag her away, "turn off the stove Kirito," she told him even as Liz pulled her toward the living room. The chestnut haired girl was struggling a little to maintain her balance and figure out where she was going when Liz pulled her in a few circles to mess up her sense of direction.

Kirito made a noise of agreement and quickly turned off the stove before he followed suit after Liz and Asuna, feeling a little apprehensive. He wasn't quite sure if he wanted a dog for his aunt and sister to obsess over, plus he wanted Asuna to himself, not shared with some animal. He blinked, _I'm jealous of a dog? A dog Asuna hasn't even met yet? Good grief, what's wrong with me?_

* * *

"Tickle monster!" Kirito suddenly cackled while they were watching a movie and threw her over one shoulder like a sack of potatoes, "I have my prize!"

Asuna laughed, "I'm not a prize!" She complained even as Kirito pushed open the door to their bedroom, still technically Kirito's, and deposited her on the bed, "Kirito!" She squealed as he pounced on her, fingers brushing up and down her sides. Asuna dissolved into giggles, "s-stop it!"

Kirito grinned and leaned over, "mine!" He teased and pinned her legs down to avoid her kicking him as he leaned over and blew a raspberry against her neck earning himself another burst of giggles. "You're all mine now!" He teased and blew another raspberry, causing Asuna to shriek with laughter and to push at his face with one half hearted hand, her actions weak from laughter and the inability to breathe properly. But the moment she lifted her hands away from her stomach Kirito attacked her stomach and ribs with his fingers, "mwahahaha!" He gave an evil laugh as he moved away from her neck as Asuna started squirming and laughing harder, tears of laughter welling in her amber eyes.

"S-stop it! I c-cant… b-breathe!" Asuna cried while laughing, kicking her legs and attempting to grab his hands with hers, only to miss more than a few times. "K-ki! I c-can't b-breathe!"

Kirito grinned and paused for a second to let her catch her breath, "but you're my prize," he grinned and lightly tickled her, eliciting another peal of laughter from the breathless girl. "And as such I get to keep you, and I'm gonna tickle you!"

Only once his fingers were getting tired did Kirito stop, and Asuna was practically dying under him, hiccuping with the occasional giggle trailing from her mouth in the process. Kirito sighed mock sadly, "okaay, I'll stop…"

"Th-thank you- Eep!"

"After this one!" Kirito grinned and jump started her, making Asuna dissolve into giggles again, one arm wrapped around her midriff, her diaphragm aching terribly from all of the laughter. Then he let her calm down, smiling softly at his significant other as she giggled and tried to breathe properly. Her amber eyes were twinkling with laughter in the sunlight from the open curtain, and nothing could ruin beauty, especially not the milky blue of her blind eye, if anything if made her more beautiful.

Especially when Asuna seemed to realize that he was practically straddling her to keep her from kicking him and had been for nearly the entire time. Kirito watched in fascination as a pink blush spread across the bridge of her nose, her cheeks, and lit up her ears a red, a darkening of the already rosy flush of her cheeks from laughter. She may not be able to see him at the current moment due to her flickering vision, but she could _feel_ his weight and the way it was positioned. Asuna put her hands to her increasingly red face, covering her eyes in a way she had done all the time whenever she was embarrassed by something he did.

Kirito grinned, she was adorable, and with everything going one in the past year he hadn't seen too much of her cute blush, too busy making sure she was adjusting to the injury, finding a solution for Yuuki, and solving the Death Gun problem. So he told her that. "You're adorable Asuna," he said with a smile and watched as she peeked from between her fingers, her right eye tracking his movement properly as her vision finally stopped flickering.

Asuna's blush darkened and she huffed, wrinkling her nose in that cute way that always melted Kirito's heart. "Meanie," she mumbled.

Kirito's heart melted and her gently grasped her wrists before he leaned over on his hands and knees, "sorry hun," he apologized, keeping their faces in close proximity, Asuna's warm breath tickling his skin.

Asuna's amber eyes softened and she loosely wrapped her arms around his neck and shut her eyes, "mhmm," she responded and tugged his head closer to her.

Kirito got the hint and leaned down to give her a kiss.

They barely a five seconds warning of "Tilnel!" and scratching on the wooden stairs before a dog shot into the room, jumped up onto the bed, and knocked Kirito flat on top of Asuna with a pained grunt who groaned from beneath him. Kirito's weight combined with the dog's and the dog partially sitting on Kirito was enough to knock the wind out of her. Then of course the dog had to stand up and start licking Asuna's face with the goal to cover it with slobber.

"Ack! Ew Tilnel!" Asuna pushed the dog away from her face, "you're still wet!" Indeed, her guide dog was still rather wet from it's bath and trip to the groomers. "Stop it!" She complained and pushed her away from her again.

Kirito narrowed his eyes at Tilnel who held the stare for a few moments before she promptly spun around in a few circles and flopped down half on top of the pair of humans. Kirito tactfully said nothing, and kept his expression as neutral as he could as the dog flopped down on top of him, pushing him and Asuna nose to nose. This position wasn't the most comfortable to be in, and their faces were both bright red, as bright red as they could get by now.

Asuna was too mortified to do other than shut her eyes and half pretend it wasn't happening.

And it just got worse when footsteps could be heard from the stairs, "Tilnel!" Sugu had been in charge of taking Tilnel to the groomers today, leaving Asuna and Kirito with time to themselves without Asuna's guide dog Tilnel being all over protective. The dog had a competition going on against Kirito, for who can have the most of Asuna's attention despite how Asuna had been teaching Tilnel that the bedroom was Kirito's space, and that it was his time with her, especially if they were asleep. Tilnel had been stubborn about staying out of the bedroom unless she was invited and it drove the couple crazy since Tilnel would run up the stairs and wriggle between them whenever someone walked down the stairs and woke her up. Outside the house however, Tilnel was a perfectly well behaved guide dog, and was careful to take Asuna around without bumping anything. Overall Tilnel was a good dog, she was just a little quirky, and Asuna loved her just as much as everyone else, except maybe Yui, Yui had completely fallen in love with her mother's dog and played with Tilnel whenever the dog wasn't tired and was at home.

"Tilnel you're not supposed to go in there!" Sugu entered the room and Kirito looked at his sister out of the corner of his eye, speaking in a strained tone of voice.

"It's not what it looks like, Tilnel jumped on me." Kirito sighed, "can you please get her off?"

Sugu nodded, her face going a soft pink, "yeah, um, how?"

Asuna tugged her arm out from under Kirito where it had been pinned and pointed down on the floor, and spoke a half shaky command, her lips brushing against Kirito's as she spoke due to how close they were. "Tilnel, get off."

Tilnel whined in response and nudged her side with her nose. ' _I don't want to!'_

"Off, now."

Tilnel didn't budge, ' _I want your attention!'_ she practically whined and nudged Asuna's waist.

Asuna tried to reach up and grasp Tilnel's collar, but without really being able to see was she was doing and with the dog moving away from her hands it was near impossible. "Tilnel! Get off!" Asuna's voice was strained now too, and breathless from being pinned under a thirty pound dog and Kirito at the same time.

Tilnel whimpered, ' _No!'_

Kirito pulled a face as Asuna lunged and reached as far as she could, managing to grab a hold of her dog's collar and making the position more uncomfortable for Kirito as she moved.

Asuna tugged hard on the dog's collar, "Tilnel, off, now." Her voice was frustrated and borderline upset at the dog, "you know better!" She then rolled her eyes at Kirito and mumbled in a voice Sugu couldn't hear, "pervert."

Kirito winced, " I'm only thinking gentlemanly things," he promised indignantly in a strained voice while waiting for the dog to get off.

"I know," Asuna replied in an amused tone before she repeated her command to Tilnel, "Tilnel off, go outside."

Tilnel whimpered, gave the back of Kirito's head a good lick, and jumped off the bed and over to Sugu, trotting unhappily at her heels.

"Sorry!" Sugu hastily apologized before racing down the stairs, Tilnel following after her.

Kirito scrambled off of Asuna and to one side, sitting on his knees and offering a hand to Asuna, face still rather red with embarrassment, "sorry…" his voice trailed off in shock and a few moments later he stared at his and Asuna's joined hands.

While he was apologizing Asuna had reached forward without thinking, using one hand to grasp her forearm and using the other with the distance guide to grasp his hand properly before letting go of his arm. She didn't miss his hand, the action wasn't clumsy, if anything it looked natural. Completely normal.

* * *

Adjusting had been hard, Kirito reflected as he heard Asuna sneeze and looked up from his book and at the girl sleeping next to him, but it was all worth it in the end. He still had his beautiful SAO wife and significant other, Yui was perfectly safe and sound, and they had a new member of the family.

Kirito's gaze wandered over to the white dog sprawled at the foot of the bed with Yui curled into a ball on her flank, and the dog opened one icy blue eye to peer at Kirito. The two of them stared at each other till Kirito gave a grunt and looked away and Tilnel snorted a big puff of air and casually closed her eyes. Yes, he did fight with the dog for who could have the most of Asuna's attention, and he wished that Black had never gotten to his everything in life, but he wouldn't change it for the world. Kirito scooted down, put a bookmark in his book and put it down before he settled down next to Asuna, lifting a hand and brushing his thumb over her long scar.

The whole thing had only brought them closer, and quite frankly, both of them were okay with it happening. Now they were prepared for if something else happened, and he saw Asuna as an even more beautiful and strong person than she was before.

Asuna stirred a little at his touch and opened her eyes to look blearily at him, clearly confused as to why she was awake at the current time of day.

Kirito scooted closer to her and brushed his lips over her forehead before pulling her close into an embrace, "I love you," he settled on saying a moment later into her caramel colored hair, letting his heavy eyes close on their own.

"I love you too Kirito," Asuna responded in a sleep hazy tone, "very much."

Kirito smiled against her hair and took a deep breath, the smell of her strawberry scented long hair washing over his senses. _And I know we'll keep working through this, together like always, and forever._

* * *

 _ **Okay, so I got lazy and threw on an ending XD**_

 _ **I didn't want to leave you guys without a chapter for too long when I'm going back and forth between fandoms at the moment and it's over 9 thousand words, bigger than all of the other chapters. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, until next time.**_

 _ **~Tigercry**_

* * *

 **Status of Current Requests**

 **Kirito Comforts Sinon after GGO Spin-Off "I Will, No WE Will Protect You"**

Up to where Kyouji pulls a gun on Asuna and Sinon's heart starts racing from panic

 **Leafa Aids Kirito with Sugou (Guilded Hero Alt. Ending) "Who's Going to Save Kirito?"**

Almost finished, needs some special dialogue and touching up (Currently on Hold)

 **Asuna's Nightmares and Kirito's Rage "They Don't Stop… I'm So Sorry Asuna…"**

Title modified, up to where Kirito gets frustrated at his sister and storms off to his bedroom while Asuna's asleep on the living room couch with Yui snuggled next to her. Yui's scared and frightened and the sound of Kirito's door slamming startles Asuna awake.

 **Leafa Babysits Yui Alone For The First Time "What if I Mess Up? You Won't Auntie!"**

Beginning for the 4 parts written. Chapter spans 4 worlds, "Asuna's Killed," "ALS" "Just ALO" and "Broken Warrior," so will be longer than average.

 **Asuna's Attacked and Blinded on One Side "Asuna, You're Still Just as Beautiful"**

Finished

* * *

 **Upcoming Named Chapters**

 _Kirito… Just Hold On A Little Longer… ~ Part of the "Asuna's Killed in ALO" series_

 _The Hacker, Hated or Loved? ~ Hackers Role Crossover_

 _ALS, Asuna's Sisters ~ Asuna has two sisters, a very cute gamer of a best friend, and a whole summer to spend with her friends, what can go wrong and what can go right?_

 _What am I going to do with you? ~Asuna's under pain meds and Kirito fumbles for what he's supposed to do. (Part of Asuna's Blinded Request)_

 _You Idiot! ~ They weren't supposed to fight IRL, but Asuna's Kirito's, and boy is he going to prove it._

 _IRL Lighting Flash ~ Asuna's a track team runner, Kirito's a young boy with skill with technology. When an accident happens and Asuna's rendered unable to persue her dream, will the antisocial inventor come to her rescue?_

 _I… I've Killed Too Remember? ~ Alt GGO moment, where Asuna shoulders Kirito's burdern for him and takes matters into her own hands. Death Gun, meet the Sword Dance of Black and White._

* * *

 **Other SAO Stories**

 _I'll wait for as long as it takes Kirito ~ Kirito has decided after being in a party with her for a year, that Asuna's potential is limitless. So she needs to be with a guild, the new third guild called the KoB. But to get her there he may have to push her away to get her to leave him and join the guild. However, one sentence stops him in his tracks 'Because I love you! I love you much to leave...' (Kirisuna)_ _ **(COMPLETED) (Sequel Completed) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _New Memories And Resolve ~ Numbed by rejection and heartbreak, Asuna is at a loss of what to do. So she makes the hard decision to follow Kirito's wishes and join the KoB, purely for his sake. However, Kirito wants one more day with her, a last day of making new memories and and giving her the strength to go on. "I care for you more than you'll ever know Asuna…" (Sequel to 'I'll wait as long as it Takes Kirito) (Kirisuna)_ _ **(Completed) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Stolen Kisses, Iron Resolve_ _~ After seeing Asuna change drastically to the point where he sometimes fears for her life, Kirito wavers in his decision. What it really a good idea to seperate when Asuna was so torn up by it? They both falter, and for a few moments it's like it's gone back to normal. Something happens and Kirito's resolve is strengthened to iron. But is it really for the best? To push her away only to be drawn back to her and have to push her away again? (Sequel to 'New Memories and Resolve') (Kirisuna) (_ _ **In progress) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Butter Knives and Togas_ _~ Argo needs info, Asuna and Kirito volunteer, they find out there's a reason no player escaped the dungeon, and it's a miracle Kirito can take his eyes off of Asuna at all. Plus the next boss fight is in two days, their inventories have been snatched, Kirito's wearing armor he can barely stand in, Asuna looks like an angel, and their armed with butter knives. Seriously Kyaba?_ _ **(To be Uploaded)**_ _**|I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Please… Don't Do this_ _~ Asuna's had enough. The lonely and tired girl gazed below at the water from where she was sitting, was it worth it? And if so, what could change her mind? A boy from her past who's been looking for her since she beat him in a tournament two and a half years ago. 'I will NOT lose you! Never again!' Heavy AU_ _**(Completed)**_

 _The Hacker's Role_ _~ I unknowingly helped make the game unhackable from the outside, and now I'm going to make up for my mistakes. I wasn't originally trapped in the game, but now? Now I'm the mystery that keeps players alive. I was a Beta Tester alongside my childhood friend 'the Rat,' and now I'm nicknamed "the Hacker" or "AI." Why? Because in other players eyes, I can't be killed, so I will beat this game. (Collection centered around Caylee's involvement in SAO.)_ _ **(In Progress)**_

 _Little Moments_ _~ "I belong in our little cabin in the woods with you and Yui, Kirito." Little moments in the world of SAO, ALO, and in real life with Kirito and Asuna as the main characters. Asuna and Kirito have gone through so much, but behind the scenes, they've gone through even more than what meets the eye._ _ **(In Progress)**_


	21. What I Power My Sword With

_**I watched the latest episode of the new SAO anime yesterday, which is the episode titled Relentless Knight, and found that I really enjoyed it but… I hate how uninvolved Asuna is, she and Kirito have an incredible connection from SAO to ALO and especially through Ordinal Scale so why is she pretty much forgotten in both the books and the anime? Hence why I made this little short story, a small thing dedicated to Asuna in Alicization.**_

 _ **I did upload this twice, I wanted it to be it's own story but also included in Little Moments so I double uploaded it.**_

* * *

 _What I Power My Sword With_

 _(Alicization)_

 _Kirito felt someone lightly touched his shoulder and complained, pulling the blankets up to his ears and tighten his hold on what was in his grasp. Or should he say who? "Ten more minutes…"_

" _You said that ten minutes ago silly," A warm voice teased and Kirito felt a hand gently stroke his black hair, their fingers soft and slender, delicate even. "Come on Kirito, I've got to go to a meeting for the guild."_

 _Kirito refused to open his eyes and instead pulled his young bride closer and pushed his nose into her long hair and breathed a deep content sigh. "Nuh uh," he mumbled childishly, "we're on vacation Asuna…"_

" _You maybe," Asuna teased and yet didn't move to escape his grasp, "but I still have a few more days before I'm allowed to miss any meetings."_

 _Kirito could see the time in his HUD, and it said seven-thirty in the morning, which was too early when on a mostly nocturnal schedule like him. "I'm sleeping," he stated childishy, half expecting her to push his arms out of the way so she could go. Asuna was very duty driven, it was one of the things he loved about her._

 _To his surprise she just sighed and rolled her eyes before she rolled over, snuggled closer to him, and summoned her menu to message one of the guild transcribers to take notes for her. "Happy now?" she sighed in exasperation and Kirito cracked open sleepy eyes to catch her faintly relieved smirk._

 _So he gave the handsomest grin he could muster and pulled her close in a sleep ridden fashion. "Extremely, I have you don't I?"_

Eugeo's gaze was locked on the fire ahead of him until he heard Kirito make a quiet noise. At first he brushed it off, but as the night went on, the mumbling continued.

"Asna…" Kirito mumbled more clearly and Eugeo blinked, what was a Asna?" His confusion only deepened as he spoke the word more clearly.

"Asuna… no, Asuna…" Kirito face a jerky motion like he was reaching for something, and his mumbling grew more unintelligible and panicked. "Asna… Asna!"

* * *

 _ **Ep. 15 The Relentless Knight**_

"You can't defeat her with hatred Eugeo," Kirito murmured and Eugeo's eyes snapped open to look at his friend who was painfully walking in front of him, the blade of his sword glowing a deep purple. "You didn't come all this way because you hated the Integrity Knights, right?"

"Aren't you here because you want to get Alice back?" Kirito spoke, the constant knife in his heart being jammed further in at the reminder.

 _A girl with long caramel colored hair spun around to face him on one foot, the lake behind her and the setting Aincrad sun making her even more beautiful. Her amber eyes sparkled joyfully, turning to a gentle fire in the setting sun. Before she clasped her hands behind her back, settled her weight down onto both feet and shut her eyes, laughing. Her sweet bell like laughter ringing softly in Kirito's ears._

"Because you love her?" Kirito continued, fighting to keep the lump in his throat from affecting his voice.

" _It's been a long journey," Kirito sighed in a content fashion as he gazed up at the starry sky above him, playing with a long lock of caramel colored hair the head of who's owner was resting on his stomach. Together they were making the English letter 't' and she was twisting the new silver ring on her left hand. "But I finally fulfilled this particular promise."_

 _She giggled lightly and straightened her arm, holding her hand up against the sky where the silver band was bathed in the moonlight. "A lot's happened to us huh?"_

 _Kirito nodded and kept his gaze up at the sky. Till his view was blocked by the amber eyed girl's face and her long hair fell from being tucked behind her ears to tickle his face. "Something wrong?"_

 _She lightly shook her head, amber eyes roaming over her fiance's face. "No, I was just thinking about something. I'm really glad Yuna gave me my memories back," she settled into a comfortable position, snuggled against his side with her head resting on his shoulder. "Aincrad will always be a special place for both of us," she paused, "right?"_

 _Kirito slid one arm around her waist and nestled his nose into her strawberry scented hair and took a deep breath, "always."_

"And those feelings aren't in any way inferior to her version of justice." Kirito forced himself to shake off the memories that were bringing tears to his onyx colored eyes and continued to speak to Eugeo. "It's the same for me, I want to protect everyone in this world." _And those in my world as well. I have to get back to her..._

 _The amber eyed girl looked delightly at the little pixie sitting on her shoulder using the Augma and back at Kirito. Before with a smile she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him while the pixie hovered in the air and giggled in a childish fashion._

" _Ew Mommy!"_

" _Hush Yui," a brown haired girl sighed and put her hands on her hips, "you two lovebirds haven't changed a bit since SAO now have you?"_

"You… Alice…" Kirito swallowed the lump in his throat, _All of them, and most of all…_ He could almost feel her slender fingers enveloping his and standing beside him, her power and speed backing him up and protecting him, just like always. She was always there in the back of his mind, appearing in his dreams of the world he vaguely remembered except those moments with her. He could recall every memory of the girl with amber eyes and caramel colored long hair with ease. _Asuna…_ He thought the beautiful girl's name and his heart wrenched painfully, aching to be back with her, his everything. _I promise I'll make it back… Some day I'll make it back to you,_ His sword glowed a little more, and he pointed it at the Integrity Knight, "I even want to protect her." But unknown to Eugeo he meant a different her alongside the knight.

Kirito meant the beautiful girl who in some distant world he knew was waiting for him, with their little AI daughter. Arms open lovingly to give him a hug, kiss, and an 'I love you,' when he returned. Tears stung at Kirito's eyes yet he looked back at his companion with a confident smile, "so right now, we can't lose to her no matter what."

"Isn't that right, Eugeo?" As Eugeo's look of timid confidence, Kirito faced forward and closed his eyes feeling his sword, and his bond with the weapon mixing together to release it's strongest attack.

Kirito could've sworn he felt Asuna's arms around him, one hand grasping the his hand around the sword hilt and her other wrapping around his body as his sword glowed further and the tears began to fall.

" _I'm always with you… no matter what world you are in Kirito… I'm always there."_

"Enhance Armament!" The words came out of his mouth in a calm yell, yet tears stained his cheeks as the sword skill, the strongest ability of his sword, activated. Leaving Kirito warm and comforted that Asuna, the Lightning Flash, Aincrad's Princess, Asuna Yuuki, and his fiance, was there in spirit, guiding him.

* * *

Status of Current Requests

Kirito Comforts Sinon after GGO Spin-Off "I Will, No WE Will Protect You"

Up to where Kyouji pulls a gun on Asuna and Sinon's heart starts racing from panic

Leafa Aids Kirito with Sugou (Guilded Hero Alt. Ending) "Who's Going to Save Kirito?"

Almost finished, needs some special dialogue and touching up (Currently on Hold)

Asuna's Nightmares and Kirito's Rage "They Don't Stop… I'm So Sorry Asuna…"

Title modified, up to where Kirito gets frustrated at his sister and storms off to his bedroom while Asuna's asleep on the living room couch with Yui snuggled next to her. Yui's scared and frightened and the sound of Kirito's door slamming startles Asuna awake.

Leafa Babysits Yui Alone For The First Time "What if I Mess Up? You Won't Auntie!"

Beginning for the 4 parts written. Chapter spans 4 worlds, "Asuna's Killed," "ALS" "Just ALO" and "Broken Warrior," so will be longer than average.

* * *

Upcoming Named Chapters

Kirito… Just Hold On A Little Longer… ~ Part of the "Asuna's Killed in ALO" series

The Hacker, Hated or Loved? ~ Hackers Role Crossover

ALS, Asuna's Sisters ~ Asuna has two sisters, a very cute gamer of a best friend, and a whole summer to spend with her friends, what can go wrong and what can go right?

What am I going to do with you? ~Asuna's under pain meds and Kirito fumbles for what he's supposed to do. (Part of Asuna's Blinded Request)

You Idiot! ~ They weren't supposed to fight IRL, but Asuna's Kirito's, and boy is he going to prove it.

IRL Lighting Flash ~ Asuna's a track team runner, Kirito's a young boy with skill with technology. When an accident happens and Asuna's rendered unable to persue her dream, will the antisocial inventor come to her rescue?

I… I've Killed Too Remember? ~ Alt GGO moment, where Asuna shoulders Kirito's burdern for him and takes matters into her own hands. Death Gun, meet the Sword Dance of Black and White.

* * *

 **Other SAO Stories**

 _I'll wait for as long as it takes Kirito_ _~ Kirito has decided after being in a party with her for a year, that Asuna's potential is limitless. So she needs to be with a guild, the new third guild called the KoB. But to get her there he may have to push her away to get her to leave him and join the guild. However, one sentence stops him in his tracks 'Because I love you! I love you much to leave...' (Kirisuna)_ _ **(COMPLETED) (Sequel Completed) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _New Memories And Resolve_ _~ Numbed by rejection and heartbreak, Asuna is at a loss of what to do. So she makes the hard decision to follow Kirito's wishes and join the KoB, purely for his sake. However, Kirito wants one more day with her, a last day of making new memories and and giving her the strength to go on. "I care for you more than you'll ever know Asuna…" (Sequel to 'I'll wait as long as it Takes Kirito) (Kirisuna)_ _ **(Completed) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Stolen Kisses, Iron Resolve_ _~ After seeing Asuna change drastically to the point where he sometimes fears for her life, Kirito wavers in his decision. What it really a good idea to seperate when Asuna was so torn up by it? They both falter, and for a few moments it's like it's gone back to normal. Something happens and Kirito's resolve is strengthened to iron. But is it really for the best? To push her away only to be drawn back to her and have to push her away again? (Sequel to 'New Memories and Resolve') (Kirisuna) (_ _ **In progress) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Butter Knives and Togas_ _~ Argo needs info, Asuna and Kirito volunteer, they find out there's a reason no player escaped the dungeon, and it's a miracle Kirito can take his eyes off of Asuna at all. Plus the next boss fight is in two days, their inventories have been snatched, Kirito's wearing armor he can barely stand in, Asuna looks like an angel, and their armed with butter knives. Seriously Kyaba?_ _ **(To be Uploaded)**_ _**|I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Please… Don't Do this_ _~ Asuna's had enough. The lonely and tired girl gazed below at the water from where she was sitting, was it worth it? And if so, what could change her mind? A boy from her past who's been looking for her since she beat him in a tournament two and a half years ago. 'I will NOT lose you! Never again!' Heavy AU_ _**(Completed)**_

 _The Hacker's Role_ _~ I unknowingly helped make the game unhackable from the outside, and now I'm going to make up for my mistakes. I wasn't originally trapped in the game, but now? Now I'm the mystery that keeps players alive. I was a Beta Tester alongside my childhood friend 'the Rat,' and now I'm nicknamed "the Hacker" or "AI." Why? Because in other players eyes, I can't be killed, so I will beat this game. (Collection centered around Caylee's involvement in SAO.)_ _ **(In Progress)**_

 _Little Moments_ _~ "I belong in our little cabin in the woods with you and Yui, Kirito." Little moments in the world of SAO, ALO, and in real life with Kirito and Asuna as the main characters. Asuna and Kirito have gone through so much, but behind the scenes, they've gone through even more than what meets the eye._ _ **(In Progress)**_


	22. Shattered Swordsman

_Shattered Swordsman  
(Idea, converted to separate story)_

Kirito sighed and rubbed his temples, leaning over with a heavy sigh. He felt a hand rest on his back and the warmth of someone's leg in close proximity to his, and let his body relax a little. The wait before the boss battle was the hardest part of the battle, the silent anticipation as everyone filtered in, the now broken mess that consisted of the front line players after floor seventy-five. They had finally reached the major field boss on the seventy-fifth floor, after fighting many mini bosses and spending a few months scattered around like lost sheep.

"What're you thinking about?" A quiet voice asked him softly and Kirito instinctively looked over at the owner of the gentle hand resting on the small of his back. She was clothed in her gleaming white and red gear, and her sword Lambent Light hung elegantly at her waist.

Kirito felt the stress that had been building up for the past hour lessen and eventually vanish at her touch and the calm quiet in her amber eyes. So he gave a heavy sigh. Before he leaned against her a little, resting his body against her shoulder and sitting there in silence for a few moments.

Asuna said nothing, instead she softly hummed the BGM of their home floor and gently ran a slightly shimmering hand through his messy black hair.

Kirito gazed around at the sorry excuse of a clearing team that was left. Maybe a hundred players at the most, and most of them stayed to themselves, occasionally nodding at their old teammates. He was waiting for Liz and Klein's guild before taking the lead with them, having rehearsed his pathetic speech to Asuna a few times and received a burst of giggles and some helpful tips.

"Kirito," another hand lightly touched his shoulder and the black swordsman quickly straightened up before looking to his right where a familiar girl with pink hair and eyes stood. She was wearing her newly crafted armor, mainly white and brown with highlights of pink that was her usual flare, and was armed with her new mace and small shield. Then her smile softened, going a little sad. "Commander Asuna," she greeted with a sad but playful salute.

Kirito heard Asuna giggle a little and turned his head to see her mimic the salute, "good to see you too Liz." Then Asuna nudged him with her elbow, "go on Kirito, say hello."

Kirito rolled his eyes at her and looked back at Liz, "like what Asuna said, it's good to see you doing well Lizzbeth."

Liz pulled a face at him making fun of his name, "as much of a pain in the butt as always," she then looked grim, "you guys ready to fight this thing? It's been a little while since I've been on the front lines again."

"Being the guild's second in command does have a lot of paperwork," Asuna pointed out and Kirito nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I bet." Kirito then grinned at Liz and offered her a fistbump, "you've been busy fixing the Broken Oath, it's gotta be a lot of work."

Liz smiled sadly, her gaze lingering on where Asuna was sitting, "it is. Lots of paperwork and figuring things out. Not to mention I also have to balance my blacksmith shop on top of it and while Silica's helping, it is really difficult."

Asuna and Kirito exchanged glances and Asuna spoke to Liz, "you should really take a break Liz, it's not good for your health to be working so hard."

Kirito looked over at Liz, expecting her to respond, only to have her smile sadly at him, her pink eyes sad and a little nostalgic.

"Kirito…" Liz said quietly, "I can't hear her remember?"

" _He still talking to her?" A quiet and worried voice asked Liz as the pink haired girl watched the boy who used to be called the Black Swordsman sit on one of the ledges of the hall's pillars. A moment later he lifted a hand as if to ruffle someone's hair and spoke in a voice they couldn't hear from their position with a smile on his tired face_

" _Yeah," Liz stated with a sigh her eyes focused worriedly on him. "He still talks to Asuna, all the time actually."_

" _It can't be healthy for him," the person said and walked into Liz's field of vision, revealing a worried Sachi. "We're not even sure if she's actually there."_

" _I know," Liz replied simply, "but we have to pretend to. If we tell him that Asuna's gone, he's going to break even more." Liz leaned back against the wall she was standing next to, "it can't do him too much harm talking to her."_

" _It's more than just him talking to her Liz," Sachi insisted in her timid voice, "he thinks she's actually there, and that we can see and hear her as well. He's called Shattered Sword for a reason Liz, everyone thinks he's losing his mind."_

" _She's there Sachi," Liz insisted stubbornly there are signs that Asuna is actually there." She pointed at how Kirito's black hair was moving, even from their distance, as if someone ruffled his hair in return. "Look, if Asuna's not there then how is his hair moving like that?" The look in Sachi's usually timid eyes made her falter._

 _The look was of dejected defeat, like she had accepted that Kirito was just seeing things._

" _We can't…" Liz's voice cracked, "we can't give up… on him." She croaked, pink eyes sparkling with tears, "We're his family, and… and…" her face crumpled and her voice grew hoarse and thick with emotion, "Asuna was like my sister Sachi, I can't… I can't give up on her… her and him, they're my siblings here in this world."_

" _I know," tears welled in Sachi's eyes as well, "but we can't keep pretending she's here. Healthcliff killed her Liz, there's no way around it."_

 _A lump grew in Liz's throat and she swallowed hard, "just give us a chance to make sure," she croaked weakly, "we just need time…"_

" _It's been two months Liz…"_

" _Just one more month," Liz pleaded, "before you tell him. Give me and Argo just one more month to check and make sure that she's really gone." Tears threatened to fall from the blacksmith's eyes, "without Asuna Kirito will completely break. Without her being with him even just like this, his fragile state will shatter completely."_

Kirito blinked and looked over where Liz assumed Asuna was sitting,only to look lost and confused. Liz guessed Asuna had disappeared, like she always did according to Kirito before and during a fight. "Oh… right." He brushed it the confusion and looked down at his shoes, "she just said to take a break and it's not healthy to be working so hard."

Liz smiled and lightly punched him his shoulder, "don't worry about me Kirito, I can handle myself. Make you to tell Asuna to stop worrying okay? I bet she's checking up on everyone and getting a base for her strategy plan. The Commander doesn't stop worrying about everyone else unless she's on vacation."

Kirito gave her a bitter smile, "yeah… that she does."

Liz smiled encouragingly at him, even though she felt like her heart was being pulled apart. Even after another month of working her butt off alongside Argo, Klein, and Agil to find evidence of Asuna still being around, the closest they had gotten was in finding the rumors of an invisibility system perk which was pretty much bogus. Not to mention that Asuna had never done anything to confirm her own presence, she rarely seemed to be around when fighting, and even though Liz had pleaded with Kirito to coax Asuna into battle, he was too afraid of losing her and had told her no. Even though she had heard him arguing with someone at a whisper when she walked away.

Now the deadline had passed and Sachi had told Liz she was going to tell Kirito about Asuna not being real, today after the boss battle. Liz didn't want to lose another dear friend, Kirito and Asuna were like her siblings, after she got over her crush on the former anyway, and now she was going to lose the other one.

Kirito's quiet words pulled her from her thoughts. "She's trying to tell you to not be so worried," he lifted a hand near his neck and enclosed his hand around something with a tired smile. His dark eyes were tired and behind the steel of a warrior laid a shattered man. "You can't see her, but Asuna's telling you she knows what the situation is." He glanced at something above his head and seemed to relax, slouching a little, "and… she's going to fix it. Wait, Asuna what're you talking about?"

Liz felt some of the painful ice in her aching heart melt and she smiled, "what's your verdict Commander? Everyone in shape for the battle?"

Kirito's eyes lit with excitement before he adopted a look of stubborness and scowled with her arms crossed over his chest. "No." he leaned forward a little like he was bumped from behind and yet he still scowled, "no Asuna. I'm not giving some crappy morale speech. That's her job," he pointed to Liz who was fighting an amused smile.

Liz could almost envision Asuna nudging Kirito and trying to coax him into giving the speech, and it gave her hope.

"No…" Kirito whined before he seemed to perk up before he frowned, "liar."

Liz rolled her eyes, "I'll do the speech Kirito, relax. He's too stubborn for his own good Asuna, how to you stand living with him?"

She heard a very faint voice of her best friend and practically sister, " _very happily despite his quirks Liz…"_ That made her breath catch and tears to threaten to fall. She missed Asuna, the Lightning Flash, Kirito's wife, and her best friend. Yet her voice was as cheeky as ever when asked the same question.

 _Asuna rolled her eyes and lightly slugged Kirito's shoulder, making him whine and complain before the caramel haired girl threw her arms around him and hugged him, flashing him a perfect smile. Before she looked at her friend from where she was hugging Kirito from the side and giving her a cheeky and happy smile, "very happily despite his quirks Lizzbeth." She teased, drawing out the 'z' in her name before laughing._

In fact, for a few precious seconds, Liz could've sworn she saw Asuna standing behind Kirito with her arms draped over his shoulders. A cheeky grin on her face while making eye contact with Liz.

Asuna looked different though, wearing clothes similar to her starter gear without any crosses for the KoB. She wore a white half sleeve shirt that had shoulder cutouts in the shape of diamonds, the sleeves ending in white ribbon that wrapped around her forearms and ended in white fingerless gloves; a red mid thigh length skirt as always; white knee high stockings; creamy heeled mid calf ankle boots; had a dark red cloak fastened around her neck with the hood down; the sword Lambent Light Liz had painstakingly crafted was hanging on her hip, accompanied with the special soles of her shoes for her speed ability; and hanging around her neck glittered a golden chain with a small crystal heart next to a white gold and ruby cross, for the KoB. Asuna's accomplishment. Even so, Asuna's eyes sparkled, and softened with a tender love as she looked over at Kirito who was looking out of the corner of his eye at her. His own eyes softening the way reserved for his other half.

Liz struggled to breathe, even as Asuna's form flickered and vanished, and she was startled when she felt something wet roll down one of her cheeks, only to find her tears obscuring her vision when she blinked and focused.

"Liz?" Kirito looked at the pink haired girl, now resting a hand on his shoulder with his fingers curled like he was holding someone else's hand. "Are you okay?"

Liz brushed the tears from her eyes and smiled, a truly happy smile. "I'm okay, I just… I saw her for a few seconds." Her gaze lifted from Kirito to where she had seen Asuna looking at her and she gave a teary smile at where she knew her best friend was. "It's good to know you're here with us Asuna, we missed you Lightning Flash."

* * *

"Switch!" Liz's yell startled everyone, their main tank, the inheritor of the KoB and Healthcliff's shield, was switching out?

Kirito immediately abandoned his massive swing of his dual blades together to spin around and head toward Liz, panic overwhelming his eyes as nobody moved to take Liz's place. "LIZ!"

Agil was struggling against the boss's massive tail, his battle axe blocking the spike ball like tail from the creature, and the big man looked panicked as well.

For Liz it was like slow motion, as the force behind the bladed hand of the boss overthrew her sense of balance and she was knocked backward, a temporarily paralysis effect preventing her from moving. _Is this the end?_ Liz wondered dully as the creature roared in triumph and fury. _I fought so hard after Healthcliff's reveal, and spent months grieving over Asuna._

"ASUNA!" A panicked Kirito howled as Liz's world slowed and she stared up at the creature's now falling blades as her back slammed into the hard stone floor and she coughed. She heard whispers even as players rushed toward her, about how Kirito had really lost his mind.

And yet, Liz heard the faint and familiar sound of the ringing bell like sound of a certain rapier being unsheathed and heard a voice in her ear.

" _S...w...i...t..c...h…"_

The world seemed to return to normal speed and Liz heard and saw the screeching of metal as the attack meant for Liz glanced over to her right, the creature's blade sliding along another invisible sword with a violent screech of metal and a fierce crash of it sinking into the ground where the boss roared in fury.

Liz saw something flicker and shimmer, like pixels struggling to create a solid image, and she grinned as the form stayed stable for a few seconds. Revealing Asuna spinning her rapier around before sheathing the thin silver blade and standing above her. After a few moments the rapier user's form flickered and vanished, leaving her invisible once more, but her appearance stunned everyone, except Liz and Kirito.

However, Kirito spoke, his voice strong and firm, direct and instructive. "Tanks block the tail, DPS players, split into to groups, A and B! Group A, switch in and attack the flanks and underbelly!" His eyes glowed with a resolve none of them had seen since Asuna had supposedly died. "Asuna and I will handle the blades, Liz and Klein, aim for the weak spot on it's forehead!" His words sounded more like that Asuna would say than Kirito, but he was shouting the words, shouting the words and already in action as he ran toward the creature and swung his swords through its arms.

And Asuna seemed to almost glitch into appearance, appearing and disappearing repeatedly throughout the rest of the battle, occasionally going completely invisible even though she still helped Kirito throughout the entire battle.

Liz's smile never faltered throughout the rest of the battle, not even once.

* * *

 _ **What do you guys think? I had inspiration from a fanfic called "StandAlone" where Asuna dies and Heathcliff doesn't kill Kirito, refusing to kill a broken soul. And Kirito spends most of his dreams with Asuna, while also having hallucinations about her being in the real world. So I came up with the idea of having Asuna talk to Kyaba, get an explanation for Aincrad. Due to Kyaba's want for his game to be finished one day and knowing that without Asuna, Kirito, the hero in Kyaba's story will break, he converts her character into something else. She's still a player, but she's invisible to virtually everyone, can't be seen or heard or she risks taking damage to her HP.**_

 _ **Also… I think I'm gonna make it a seperate story, I made a prologue already and I'm super excited so yeah, the rest is gonna be a separate story I think called "Shattered Swordsman."**_


	23. Asuna! I Can't Fight Without You!

_**~K2-Black-Panther~**_

 _ **Thx, and sorry about the long delays between chapters, I'm having problems finishing some of them.**_

 _ **~Anon~**_

 _ **I'm doing okay now, not superb but not terrible. I'm glad you liked the chapter!**_

 _ **~dbzgtfan2004~**_

 _ **I am continuing the story, I'm just a little slow sometimes XD**_

 _ **~RogueSummersLover~**_

 _ **The only problem with your request is that I actually don't like the Alicization arc's light novels, manga, and even really the anime… So I'm struggling to come up with ideas for the Alicization stuff, although if you like this one I could do one where they're all kids in the Underworld, Eugeo, Alice, Asuna, and Kirito. Or Maybe Eugeo and Alice IRL?**_

 _ **~kenyancougar!**_

 _ **He he he, I actually have a few pieces planned for a continuation of Patched Realities, it's just a debate of weither or note I'm going to eventually finish them XD**_

 _ **~DuskyMiner~**_

 _ **Wow, that's a lot of reading XD Yeah, I hate how little attention Asuna gets too, and I've even read all the novels and stuff. Hence why Alicization is so darn hard to write…**_

 _ **Have fun! New Memories and Resolve should have it's sequel out soon, it's just being a pain in the butt to finish.**_

* * *

 _ **Admittedly Alicization is one of my least favorite arcs, being that Asuna's virtually nowhere, but after seeing episode 19 of the new anime and hearing the ending song I couldn't resist :P Although this is an AU, part of my new world where Asuna's permanently injured IRL after Sugou and lives her life almost always in a wheelchair**_

* * *

 _Asuna! I Can't Fight Without You!_

 _(Alicization)_

Kirito's eyebrows furrowed and twitched, and the black-haired young adult roared with frustration, anger, and confusion, something was clouding his mind, his judgment, impairing it.

"I'll take you to her," The pontifex promised the Black Swordsman, "if you submit to me I'll take you to Asuna Kirito," her purple eyes were falsely gentle, and for a moment Eugeo and Alice could've sworn her eyes flashed amber, but Kirito's onyx colored eyes focused on the pontifex's at the flash of amber, and tears welled in his eyes.

"Asuna?" His voice was barely a whisper, like he couldn't believe whoever he was talking about was there.

"Asuna?" Eugeo echoed, confused. Who was Asuna?

The pontifex seemed to know who it was however, and sat down on the edge of the bed behind her, nodding slightly with a gentle smile. Pretending to be who Kirito saw instead of her.

Kirito's eyes sparkled with tears and the young adult gave a heaving breath, fighting his tears.

"Kirito!" Alice suddenly spoke up in a sharp tone from where she was sprawled on the ground, her own sword still impaling her body, "the pontifex is attempting to mislead you!" Her blue eyes were panicked like she could see some of what Kirito was seeing, "she is not who you think she is!"

Kirito shook slightly and his eyebrows knitted together in a distressed fashion. "I can't… I can't do this Asuna," he said through gasping breaths, fighting with his emotions. "I can't… not without you…"

The pontifex lifted her arms toward Kirito, who moved toward her with a half sob, only to be stopped by Eugeo who yanked him back, "Kirito!" The blonde firmly grasped his friend's shoulders, "listen to me! That's not…" he trailed off as a forgotten memory came to mind and at the sight of Kirito's mental state.

" _Honestly Kirito!" A girl with orange hair and amber eyes huffed with her hands on her hips standing above Eugeo's best friend, "are you really going to make Eugeo do all the work?"_

 _Eugeo snorted when his friend rolled his eyes and pulled her down onto the grass by the hand._

" _Ooph!" The girl squealed when Kirito dragged her down to be sitting on her knees. The amber eyed girl huffily smoothed out her white sleeveless dress and adjusted the thin wooden training rapier and sheath at her waist to keep it from poking her in the ribs. She also reached behind her head and straightened out the white bow and ribbon weaved into her braid._

" _Come on Asuna, we've been working all morning, there's nothing wrong with relaxing every once in a while." Kirito snorted and grinned before he sat up and promptly pulled her wooden rapier from the sheath and stood up._

" _Hey! Kirito give it back! I'll get in trouble if you hurt yourself!" Asuna panicked and scrambled back up to her feet, even as Kirito gripped the rapier in a slightly goofy stance. Holding the weapon in a way that clearly wasn't how you were supposed to hold the toothpick thin rapier that was much more delicate than how Kirito was holding it._

" _One day after we cut down this stupid tree I'm going to be a swordsman! And I'm going to protect you Asuna!" Kirito grinned before he then swung the thin sword. However, he didn't judge how how light it was, and the weapon flew from his hands to embed itself into the Great Cider._

" _Aaah!" Asuna shrieked and grabbed Kirito by the collar and yanked him to her, amber eyes smoldering like orange coals . "You idiot! Now what am I going to do?! I needed my sword for training!"_

 _Eugeo snorted and tried to hold in his laughter at the fear in his best friend's eyes at the murderous intention in their other friend's eyes. Watching as Asuna released Kirito, who fell backward onto his butt with a thump, and started ranting, gesturing wildly while stomping over to her sword. The short girl with long hair then yanked on her sword and strained to pull it out of the massive tree, cursing Kirito under her breath._

 _Eventually Eugeo couldn't resist and he burst out laughing, howling with laughter._

Eugeo blinked, "Asuna…" He murmured, even as Kirito shook harder, his confused onyx colored eyes looking heartbroken and defeated.

" _Get out of the way! Move!"_

 _Eugeo hastily ran after Kirito, on his friend's heels with the blood rushing through his ears. They had already lost Alice six years ago, they couldn't lose another friend now! No, Asuna was more than just a friend to one of them._

 _Someone blocked their path toward the man they were chasing who was running toward a horse with their treasured friend in their arms. His grey eyes were firm and yet understanding. "I can't allow you two to get in the way, she's too injured for us to treat her here, you both know that. She's getting worse every day."_

 _Kirito tried to move past him multiple times, "let me pass damn you!" His onyx colored eyes were panicked and frustrated, "you can't take her from me!" He yelled out her name, struggling against the man who had now grabbed him and was holding him back, "Asuna! Asuna!"_

 _Eugeo hesitated for half a second before he took a deep breath to muster up his courage, and socked the bigger man in the stomach, forcing him to release Kirito. "Sorry," he muttered and hastily ran after his friend, "he just wants to see her."_

" _Stop! Please!" Kirito yelled as they ran, "please wait!"_

 _The man, who was about to get on the horse, paused, and looked down at the mostly hidden girl in his arms, only to turn around and wait for them, a sad smile on his face._

 _When he turned around, it revealed the sick and injured girl, his own daughter, who needed a treatment the village didn't have._

 _Asuna was thinner than ever, her skin was white but her cheeks were flushed with illness, her eyes were tired, and her breathing was still a little wheezy._

 _Kirito slowed to a stop in front of her alongside Eugeo, who watched quietly as Kirito gently grasped Asuna's hand, trembling slightly._

" _What… what am I supposed to do… without you?" Kirito asked the injured girl quietly and Asuna coughed before she gave a slight smile and shakily brought their joined hands up to her lips._

 _Her lips softly brushed over Kirito's knuckles before her arm sagged and she spoke hoarsely with a smile. "You have Eugeo, and I'll come back some day, when I'm strong enough."_

Eugeo pulled his friend into a hug, "Asuna's in your heart Kirito, don't listen to the pontifex, what she's promising isn't love! She's manipulating you!"

* * *

Eugeo only knew the half of it. Kirito missed her, he missed Asuna so much, she was what gave him strength, and he had been ripped from her, taken away from her when she had been vulnerable and they had been attacked. He didn't even know if she was okay or if Johny Black had gotten to her too. She was strong yes, but she was also physically weak and impaired. Asuna was in a wheelchair IRL, she had been since SAO and Sugou, with failed nanotech in her spine and nerves that made it extremely difficult for her muscles to voluntarily move, and while she could stand for a few minutes tops, she resided more comfortably in her wheelchair at her sister Kizmel's house where everything was slightly shortened and lowered to make it easier for her.

Kirito struggled, feeling the confusion overpowering his mind and making it hard to believe he would ever make it home, to the one he loved. She had worked with him in Rath for a little while, growing up with him, Eugeo, and Alice as Asuna with a swordswoman calling only to get grievously injured and couldn't handle going back in with the damage to her character's spine. It had been a hit too close to home, something they both had agreed on and taken a break from. Asuna hadn't come back, while Kirito had continued, and now Kirito was regretting not talking to Kikoka and fixing his character to aid her. Eugeo was his best friend here, practically his brother, but he missed Asuna, he wanted her to be there with him.

"I'll bring Asuna here in exchange for your submission," the pontifex spoke, and Kirito hesitated before something suddenly came to mind.

He remembered a conversation he had with Asuna what felt like a lifetime ago IRL, six months after SAO's fiasco and adjusting to Asuna's physical complications because of the NerveGear and Sugou along with her life before SAO. He had been talking to his AI daughter Yui that afternoon, about what love really was while Asuna had a check up on her spine and health in general. As of late the girl had been coughing a little, and he had been relieved to hear that she wasn't sick, she just wasn't mobile enough. However, late that night, with most of her coughing having gone away, Yui's question of 'papa, what exactly is love?' had been on his mind.

 _It was quiet, like the world was sluggishly asleep around them, both inside and outside of the house. Tilnel was asleep down stairs, Kirito having kicked the dog out late in the evening to prevent her from jumping on him again, and Kizmel was out with her and Asuna's parents, likely discussing Asuna's health without the strawberry blonde knowing, so it was just them._

 _Kirito's mind was buzzing awake and fully aware while his companion was likely half asleep after earlier. He couldn't see her face, it was too dark with the curtains closed, but he could hear her heartbeat and her rough semi-slow breathing, which usually meant she was still awake, even just partially._

 _Then he felt a muscle near one of her ankles twitch, and the hand she had been using to card through his hair till she dozed off, moved again through his hair. The permanently injured warrior gave a groan of annoyance at one of her muscles twitching, but didn't ask him to get up and help it stop since she couldn't by herself. EIther way, she was definitely awake now._

" _Hey Asuna?" He asked quietly, hoping he didn't wake her if she had been asleep._

" _Hmm?" Asuna responded a moment later and her other hand, fingers entwined with his, adjusting their fingers to make it more comfortable for her slimmer fingers. "I didn't think you were still awake," her voice was sleepy and a more than a little worn out._

" _Nah, I've been thinking actually." He turned his head slightly and lazily brushed his lips over her skin, lightly kissing her collarbone, "and I want to ask you something."_

" _mkay," Asuna hummed a response, "what is it Kirito-kun?"_

 _Kirito took a second to think, thinking how he wanted to ask her before he lifted her hand from his hair, reached across her to pick up the little remote that controlled the bedroom lights and curtains. Before he turned on the lights onto the lowest setting that was barely anything more than what a few candles would do blinked a few times to focus his vision. He then gently tugged the blankets up further when she shivered slightly at the lack of his body heat and looked at her. "Yui asked me a question this afternoon, and I wanted to ask you the same one. She asked me what love was, and what you do with it."_

 _Asuna pushed herself up into a sitting position next to him, holding the blankets up to her chest as she did so, and seemed to think about it for a few moments._

 _Meanwhile Kirito leaned over and snagged one of the clean shirts draped over desk chair that he had forgotten here last week before he leaned back and gave it to her._

 _Asuna gave him a look, her cheeks turning pink, and Kirito obediently turned his head away from her even though there was a cheeky smile on his face. "Sounds like a question Yui-chan would ask," she said in an affectionate tone and tapped Kirito's shoulder when she was finished slipping the shirt on. "To be honest I don't know how to answer Kirito, there's so many ways to describe love and what you can do with it."_

 _Kirito nodded and turned to face her, his cheeks going slightly pink as well. The shirt had been a collared one, a dark grey one that was too big on Asuna's slender frame, Asuna had left the top three buttons undone, and Kirito thought she had never looked any more beautiful as she leaned on one of her arms while she used the other to tuck the blankets under her knees. So he shifted his position to be kneeling on the bed before sliding one arms under Asuna's unresponsive legs at the knee and circled his other arm around her back. "Don't think about it too much, if you do you'll over think it Hun."_

 _Asuna nodded slid her arms around his neck while Kirito carefully released her back and moved onto his hand and knees, carrying Asuna's legs while she held onto his neck and shoulders. He made it to the headboard, pushed the pillows out of the way and sat down with Asuna sitting in his lap. He carefully positioned her legs for her, having gotten used to her inability to move below her hips due to a combination of things after SAO. "Well…"_ _The strawberry blonde murmured as she leaned comfortably against him, "Love is… it's the emotion that empowers us to perform miracles and beat impossible odds." Asuna's amber eyes were lighting up, and Kirito watched, listening attentively as she described love in the best way possible. "It's something that teaches us important lessons and can be mistaken for greed even to go as far as claiming someone else as your property, and it's essential to life. Our lives in particular." She smiled lovingly at him, "without you and Yui I wouldn't have made it through SAO, you two are the reason I had the strength to live through it and take care of myself. We cleared SAO together, I saved you and you saved me in return from Sugou."_

" _But not without a price," Kirito sighed and looked slightly sadly at her legs. While Asuna looked to be in perfect health from head to toe, she was essentially paralyzed. She had feeling all the way through her body, but her nerves rarely stimulated her muscles to move voluntarily._

 _Asuna giggled, "I was in a wheelchair and on crutches before SAO Kirito remember? Like I've told you before, I've never been very stable upright for long, so even Sugou's attempt to inject some nano tech into my spine didn't mess up too much that wasn't already messed up. Okay so my muscles don't work anymore, big deal when I was already in a wheelchair on and off for seven years. Instead," she snuggled closer to him, "I have you, and I'll gladly trade the ability to walk to be with the person that loves me unconditionally. Love is the attachment I have to you, the thing that pulls us together and make us even stronger than we thought possible." She reached over and cupped one of his cheeks, amber eyes twinkling in the soft lighting. "I love you Kirito-Kun…"_

" _ **Love is not something you trade or exchange, it's something you grow and gain at someone else's side…."**_ Kirito heard someone softly whisper in his ear, their breath softly tickling his skin. The voice was familiar, gentle, and soothing with a loving tone he knew so well. " **Love is the thing that pulls us together Kirito, no matter where either of us are. I'm always with you…"** Kirito choked up, his throat closing up slightly while he fell to his hands and knees, fighting his tears. " **Be strong, trust that I'm with you in spirit… I will find a way to come back to you, I always do…"**

"Asuna…" Kirito choked, his shoulders trembling rather violently, "Asuna…"

" **I'm here Kirito,"** Kirito felt a soft hand rest on his shoulder and he turned his head to see a mostly transparent form of a beautiful girl with amber eyes and chestnut colored hair. Her hair waved softly in a non existant breeze and her eyes twinkled peacefully. She was kneeling next to him, one of her hands resting on his shoulder.

She was wearing the gear he had seen her character here in the Underworld wear after her training that consisted of a pure white outfit. She wore a dress with no sleeves, only a thin strip of cloth that went around her upper arm that turned to ribbon that she wound around her arms that formed snug white fingerless glove like cloth that covered her palms left most of the back of her hands bare. The dress ended in a miniskirt and had thin metal plating at the waist to protect her while her chest and upper stomach was shielded by a silver breastplate. Around her shoulders and attached to her breastplate was a long flowing white cape that whipped around her booted ankles and hid her rapier from sight.

"Asuna?" Kirito croaked, staring at the transparent form in front of him while the others were just as entranced as he was, "is that… really you?"

Asuna stood up and gently pulled him to his feet, " **in a way, yes."** She placed a hand over where Kirito's heart was, " **I'm the part of Asuna you carry in your heart,"** she smiled gently at him, " **the part of her in your fluctlight."**

Kirito's eyes widened and he stared, "in my f-fluctlight?"

Asuna dipped her head in a small nod, " **yes and I'm here to help you."**

Kirito's eyes welled with tears and he seized the transparent but solid form of his significant other in a tight embrace, unable to believe she was there, even just in spirit.

* * *

(After the Pontifex, ehem, please don't get mad at me.)

"Noo… not after… not after Eugeo," Kirito cradled the flickering form in his arms, "d-don't leave me!" The broken swordsman's voice raised into a wail, "I need something to fight for! Please don't leave Asuna, please!"

The transparent form of Asuna flickered again, and the wounded warrior's head lolled so that her cheek was resting against his chest and her amber eyes forced themselves open. Her largest injury was the massive red slash from her left shoulder to the right side of her waist, where she should've been bleeding, but wouldn't bleed being not completely human. "I'm sorry…" she breathed, and Kirito's heart stopped, recognizing this same situation from SAO years ago.

"Don't go…" He breathed in a whimper, tears stinging his cheeks, "Eugeo's gone too."

Her fingers were cold to the touch as she rested them softly against his cheek for a few moments before her strength faded and her arm dropped to her stomach. "I'll come back, I always come back Kirito."

Kirito felt a lump growing in his throat, "but I need you here, now, with me… I can't do this alone!"

Asuna's amber eyes grew tired and she half closed them, "I'm tired," she smiled weakly, "do you mind if I use your lap?"

Kirito nodded numbly after a moment and watched as she feebly snuggled closer to him, her face pressed against his shirt, her form flickering again.

"Hold on for me?" Asuna asked weakly as she pulled back a little and looked at him through pained and tired eyes. "Till I come back?"

Kirito swallowed hard and nodded, still unable to speak. He watched as Asuna nestled her face back into his shirt and gave a tired sigh before her form flickered once, then twice, and then vanished completely, leaving no trace that she was there. He stayed where he was for a few moments before he then buried his head into his hands, shaking. He felt numb after he managed to pull himself together, and even communicated with Kikouka through the GM console without thinking. The fight going on did startle him a little, but it didn't break his numb shell. Only the sound of a voice he just heard save his life and disappear shook his free.

"Kirito-kun!"

The affectionate nickname confirmed to Kirito who it was, and he stared at her, taking in every detail of her face.

Asuna was sitting in a wheelchair that he knew wasn't hers, hers was red and white not dull gray, and she was staring back at him. She was wearing a white blouse with the collar and top button undone paired with burgundy red pants, had sunglasses perched on top of her head, and dark brown flats on her feet, and the necklace he had given her hanging around her neck and the engagement ring still on her left ring finger.

"A...su...na…" Kirito croaked, putting his hands to his side of the glass and looking back at her, tears brimming in his eyes.

"Asuna we need to get out of here," Kikuoka started nervously, only to give a sharp hiss when the girl rolled over his toes in her haste and heaved her body up and into a shaky standing position, something they had been working on for years.

Asuna wasn't very good at it still, but it was miracle with her disability that she could walk and stand even if only for a small amount of time. Still, by the way her body was shaking he knew she had over done it recently and hurt herself again, something she seemed to have a habit of. "I'm working on getting you out of there," she said quietly, her amber eyes desperately searching his onyx colored ones, her body trembling as she fought to stay upright leaning on the computer in front of her. "Just hang in there a little longer."

Kirito blinked back his tears, "I want to see you again," he whispered, "I want to go home to you and Yui."

Tears misted Asuna's eyes as well and she shakily lifted one of her hands and place it where his was, her smaller hand placed directly over his. "I know, I want you to come home too, I'll figure it out, I'll come and get you when I can okay?"

Kirito nodded, noticing Kikouka looking nervously at the door at the back of the room. "I'm fighting for you," he croaked quietly, "just for you Asu."

Asuna blinked and a few tears slipped down her cheeks, her lower lip wobbling slightly. "I'm fighting for you too, Kirito-kun." She was trembling from exertion, and Kirito knew she had to sit down or her legs would give out beneath her, but he didn't want her to go, he wanted to stay like this, where he could see and talk to her.

"Asuna I'm sorry, but I have to shut down the terminal before it's compromised!" Kikouka hissed and started working on something on the keyboard.

Asuna nodded at him before she gave Kirito a watery smile and playfully blew him a kiss, "I love you, I promise I'll come get you."  
Kirito nodded thickly, "I can't wait," he moved to speak more, "I-" but the screen shut off with the bang of a door opening. -love you too," he finished in a hoarse whisper before he crumpled to his knees and cried, feeling more hopeless than he had ever felt before. All the other times he got dragged into some crazy and dangerous adventure he had Asuna with him at his side, and now? Now she was gone. His other half and brother in all but blood were gone, both dead in this world and unable to reach him in the other.

* * *

 _ **That took forever XD Hope you all enjoyed, let me know what you think!**_

* * *

 **Status of Current Requests**

 **Kirito Comforts Sinon after GGO Spin-Off "I Will, No WE Will Protect You"**

Up to where Kyouji pulls a gun on Asuna and Sinon's heart starts racing from panic

 **Leafa Aids Kirito with Sugou (Guilded Hero Alt. Ending) "Who's Going to Save Kirito?"**

Restarted, unsatisfied with original

 **Asuna's Nightmares and Kirito's Rage "They Don't Stop… I'm So Sorry Asuna…"**

Title modified, up to where Kirito gets frustrated at his sister and storms off to his bedroom while Asuna's asleep on the living room couch with Yui snuggled next to her. Yui's scared and frightened and the sound of Kirito's door slamming startles Asuna awake.

 **Leafa Babysits Yui Alone For The First Time "What if I Mess Up? You Won't Auntie!"**

Beginning for the 4 parts written. Chapter spans 4 worlds, "Asuna's Killed," "ALS" "Just ALO" and "Broken Warrior," so will be longer than average.

* * *

 **Upcoming Named Chapters**

 _Kirito… Just Hold On A Little Longer… ~ Part of the "Asuna's Killed in ALO" series_

 _The Hacker, Hated or Loved? ~ Hackers Role Crossover_

 _ALS, Asuna's Sisters ~ Asuna has two sisters, a very cute gamer of a best friend, and a whole summer to spend with her friends, what can go wrong and what can go right?_

 _What am I going to do with you? ~Asuna's under pain meds and Kirito fumbles for what he's supposed to do. (Part of Asuna's Blinded Request)_

 _You Idiot! ~ They weren't supposed to fight IRL, but Asuna's Kirito's, and boy is he going to prove it._

 _IRL Lighting Flash ~ Asuna's a track team runner, Kirito's a young boy with skill with technology. When an accident happens and Asuna's rendered unable to persue her dream, will the antisocial inventor come to her rescue?_

 _I… I've Killed Too Remember? ~ Alt GGO moment, where Asuna shoulders Kirito's burdern for him and takes matters into her own hands. Death Gun, meet the Sword Dance of Black and White._

 _(NEW) Peace Brought On An Ocean Breeze ~ Sugou did more than threaten Asuna, but his tech doesn't work, leaving Asuna almost paralyzed from the hips down. She's not really all that bothered, having grown up with medical problems and spending most of her life in a wheelchair already, but on those days when she feels like she can't keep going, Kirito's now there, making her life complete._

* * *

 **Other SAO Stories**

 _I'll wait for as long as it takes Kirito_ _~ Kirito has decided after being in a party with her for a year, that Asuna's potential is limitless. So she needs to be with a guild, the new third guild called the KoB. But to get her there he may have to push her away to get her to leave him and join the guild. However, one sentence stops him in his tracks 'Because I love you! I love you much to leave...' (Kirisuna)_ _ **(COMPLETED) (Sequel Completed) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _New Memories And Resolve_ _~ Numbed by rejection and heartbreak, Asuna is at a loss of what to do. So she makes the hard decision to follow Kirito's wishes and join the KoB, purely for his sake. However, Kirito wants one more day with her, a last day of making new memories and and giving her the strength to go on. "I care for you more than you'll ever know Asuna…" (Sequel to 'I'll wait as long as it Takes Kirito) (Kirisuna)_ _ **(Completed) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Stolen Kisses, Iron Resolve_ _~ After seeing Asuna change drastically to the point where he sometimes fears for her life, Kirito wavers in his decision. What it really a good idea to seperate when Asuna was so torn up by it? They both falter, and for a few moments it's like it's gone back to normal. Something happens and Kirito's resolve is strengthened to iron. But is it really for the best? To push her away only to be drawn back to her and have to push her away again? (Sequel to 'New Memories and Resolve') (Kirisuna) (_ _ **In progress) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Butter Knives and Togas_ _~ Argo needs info, Asuna and Kirito volunteer, they find out there's a reason no player escaped the dungeon, and it's a miracle Kirito can take his eyes off of Asuna at all. Plus the next boss fight is in two days, their inventories have been snatched, Kirito's wearing armor he can barely stand in, Asuna looks like an angel, and their armed with butter knives. Seriously Kyaba?_ _ **(To be Uploaded)**_ _**|I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Please… Don't Do this_ _~ Asuna's had enough. The lonely and tired girl gazed below at the water from where she was sitting, was it worth it? And if so, what could change her mind? A boy from her past who's been looking for her since she beat him in a tournament two and a half years ago. 'I will NOT lose you! Never again!' Heavy AU_ _**(Completed)**_

 _The Hacker's Role_ _~ I unknowingly helped make the game unhackable from the outside, and now I'm going to make up for my mistakes. I wasn't originally trapped in the game, but now? Now I'm the mystery that keeps players alive. I was a Beta Tester alongside my childhood friend 'the Rat,' and now I'm nicknamed "the Hacker" or "AI." Why? Because in other players eyes, I can't be killed, so I will beat this game. (Collection centered around Caylee's involvement in SAO.)_ _ **(In Progress)**_

 _What I Power My Sword With_ _~ ...I power it with love. Love for her, my equal and better half. I power my sword with the thought of protecting everyone in the Underworld and one day returning to the girl with amber eyes and long caramel colored hair named Asuna Yuuki. I know she's waiting for me, with open arms for when I return. Kirito will always carry Asuna in his heart, even in a world tens of years away._


	24. Beautiful Fairy

_**So this took a lot longer than expected, it was supposed to be done a while ago, but it didn't really happen, sorry guys XD**_

 _ **But it's done now, and I'm working on some other chapters too, yay right?**_

 _ **Anyway, enjoy the chapter!**_

* * *

 _Beautiful Fairy_

 _What am I going to do with her?_ Kirito couldn't help but sigh as he crossed his arms over his chest and looked warily at his bed where someone had deposited the fairy who currently resided there. As the prince of Aincrad his father was determined to find a girl for him to marry, and it seemed that this time his father had gone too far. _Kidnapping a fairy, a fairy from ALHeim? That's too far, even for him. Geez, when Sinon and Liz find out they're going to freak._ Sinon was his to be partner's bodyguard and Liz was supposed to be the chosen girl's advisor as she hated it called, maid. His personal bodyguard was a tall bald man with dark skin named Agil, and Klein was his advisor, putting him in a rather harsh predicament. "Father… You're going to be the end of me," Kirito sighed, his onyx colored gaze wandering over the unconscious fairy in front of him.

She was beautiful, even by fairy standards. The fairy had long light blue hair that was currently spread out behind her with a few locks resting on the bed in front of her, long eyelashes, small nose, full lips, the pointed ears of a fairy, creamy white skin with very faint freckles scattered over her cheeks, long legs, and a slim and slender body type. She was wearing a simple sleeveless white dress that would've fallen to her knees if she had been standing upright, had two braids the connected at the back of her head, and was barefoot. Her wrists and ankles were tied together with Aincrad Mithril rope, a magic reducing metal that would prevent the fairy from using spells when she regained consciousness.

Kirito hadn't dared touch her since he had arrived and checked her pulse, beyond that he had been sitting his desk chair mulling over having a beautiful water fairy, Undine, in his bedroom and waiting for his four royal advisors and bodyguards got here. Even though he was more than tempted to touch the fairy's shimmering blue wings that were also wrapped with Mithril Rope, disabling them. But the translucent material of her wings glowed softly in the afternoon's light and gave off shimmering sparkles every time they twitched a little in her unconscious state. He had heard about fairy wings and how soft they were, rumored to be softer than pure silk and lighter than a down feather, which made him wonder how they could even fly before he remembered that they were magical creatures. Just like humans, but they were blessed with magic, making them fairies instead of humans.

Kirito jumped with a yell when the door slammed open to reveal a pair of royal advisors, one looking like she was ready to kill something and a pair of much calmer but faintly annoyed bodyguards.

"What's this about having a fairy in your room man?" Kirito's royal advisor, Klein, asked with a grin before his gaze strayed to the unconscious fairy and his jaw dropped. "If you don't want her, can I have her-" He was cut off mid-sentence by Liz who socked him in the gut so hard Klein fell to his knees, struggling to get some air into his lungs.

"That's not funny Klein!" Liz snapped harshly and hurried past him and over toward the fairy, "fairies aren't like us! They require certain things that we don't! And I'm sure none of them want to be your wife Klein, if they did they have to have some kind of head injury!" She went to work untying the rope around the fairy's wings, "honestly," she muttered under her breath as she worked, "tying up her wings like this, what are we, barbarians? It could damage her wings…"

Kirito carefully avoided speaking to Liz and making her more upset as the two bodyguards shuffled into the room, Agil picking up Klein up the back of his armor and moving him deeper into the room before letting him go.

"That's a fairy alright," Sinon pointed out in her calm voice, teal colored eyes looking the fairy over. "It looks like a water fairy, an Undine. Supposedly they're incredibly skilled with healing magic and water bends to their will."

"Yeah, but how did you end up with one in here?" Agil asked Kirito with a slightly worried expression, "and how long has she been here?"

Kirito shuffled uncomfortably, "Recon told me they came by at six this morning with her, and I ended up with one because my father's an idiot. Heathcliff's losing his mind. I did message Sugu to ask around in ALHeim if they're missing anyone since she's half-sylph, but she won't be back for at least a few hours. So I have no idea who she is other than Recon said to call her Asuna."

"So she's been here six hours?" Agil said and pulled the bag from his shoulder before he rummaged around in it, "Liz, did you bring the infusers?" He asked, looking for one of the bracelets they could give the fairy named Asuna to protect her against the separation of her element until they could get her out of the castle. Without it Asuna would get sick and lose her connection with magic and water, leaving her vulnerable.

"No," Liz replied from where she was now examining Asuna's wings for any damage only to swear and snarl, "arrow punctures, they shot her out of the sky. Explains the damage on her wings and the bruising on her head." She carefully lifted Asuna's head a little and twisted from side to side, checking for any other hidden injuries. "Someone has to have brought them, I packed them the moment Kirito told us it was a fairy."

"I have them," Sinon said and slung her bow over her shoulder before taking a series of small bracelets from her pocket and tossing a blue and silver one to Liz, "catch."

Kirito watched Liz work for a few moments, untying Asuna and making sure she wasn't too badly hurt while Klein whined on the floor about how his stomach hurt. "Should we stay here and wait for her to wake up?" He eventually asked as Liz carefully moved Asuna into a more comfortable position, "the tranquilizers are only supposed to last for eight hours tops."

"Might as well, we're gonna have to explain the situation and try to get her home when she's feeling well enough. She's going to be weak for a little while, while her magic regens after the long separation from her homeland." Agil pointed out and leaned against the wall.

"We'll rotate out, with Kirito here the most since we all have other duties to attend to," Sinon added and everyone agreed.

* * *

Asuna awoke to bright sunlight filling the room she was in and warming her back, a pounding headache, feeling like her body was a little more than beat up and weaker than a baby. She forced her eyes partially open with a soft groan of pain and awareness and pulled her arms under her shoulders and propped herself up slightly, arms shaking. She looked blankly at the sunlit room she was in through half-open eyes, looking for anything that looked anything like what she was used to. Her wings shimmered and would've disappeared into her back with the shimmering of magic were it not for the spike of pain that ran through them as she tried to pull them back so that she could turn over on her back. Asuna tensed up, grasping fistfuls of the fabric beneath her, pain filled tremors hitting her body and gave a pain-filled moan. Before her arms gave out beneath her and her cheek made contact with the soft fabric under her again. It was cool and soft, and it felt good against her pain flushed skin and a pathetic mewl of pain escaped her lips, blue eyes closing in pain and feeling overall terrible. Moving made her pain worse, and Asuna wanted to just go back to sleep and wait for someone to have mercy on her and use a healing spell. Still, Asuna moistened her dry lips with her tongue and tried to utter a healing spell to cure her pain. "Þú fylla heill…" She broke off with a violent cough, feeling her consciousness flicker toward unconsciousness and knew dimly that her magic was drained, she couldn't heal herself at all.

"Sssh," a quiet tenor voice spoke softly and a warm hand rested on her back between her shoulders and just below her wings, "you'll feel better soon," the voice said reassuringly and Asuna forced her eyes open a small amount to gaze at the owner of the voice, a handsome guy with black hair getting in his eyes and concerned onyx colored eyes. Asuna squinted, trying to get a better look at the man but couldn't keep her eyes open. She was in pain, her body was on fire, her head was spinning, her chest burned with the lack of magic and exposure to water, and her wings were in agony. Her eyes slipped shut and she heard someone speak faintly, the words barely audible.

"Ask Sugu how to help an Undine heal without magic," this voice was female, and very calm, even as Asuna felt a cool rag be placed on her temple and forehead. "I think the fall broke some of her bones."

"Got it," Asuna felt the hand on her back softly rub her back as if soothing a child, "go back to sleep, you'll feel better soon…"

Asuna succumbed to the blackness, relief filling her at the peaceful blackness away from the pain in her body.

* * *

Kirito sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He and the other four were sitting around in his room, waiting for the fairy to stir again. The tranquilizer may have worn off at two in the afternoon, but Asuna had been slipping in and out of conscious all afternoon, developing a low fever and barely awake longer than a few seconds. She usually groaned or mewled pitifully if she was awake, whimpering out of the sheer amount of pain her body was in. What made it worse was that they couldn't heal her, a fairy needed _magic_ to heal her, and Sugu's arrival had been delayed by more than a few hours. The noises she made and the way she had looked at him when she had first woken up, pretty sky blue pools aching with pain and glazed with a plea to help her, squeezed his heart, making him want to protect her, to heal and protect her to the best of his ability.

"Did you get a response back from Sugu?" Liz asked from where she was using a cloth to wipe the sweat from the fairy's face and coat her face with water, hoping it would help her heal.

Kirito started to shake his head before a message dinged in the corner of his vision and he quickly summoned his social tab with a flick of the wrist and tapped the message thread of his sister's, skimming through it before he jumped to his feet and quickly slid one arm beneath Asuna's shoulders and the other beneath the said fairy's knees. Who groaned, coming back to awareness at the slightly rough movements. "I'm sorry I hurt you, but this'll make it better, I promise." His words were pointless as barely a second after she awoke she slipped back unconscious, her head drooping to be resting against his chest as he lifted her. Kirito looked at Liz, "grab some towels and supplies, I'm taking the fairy to the lake, Sugu said that she needs to be submerged or partially submerged in natural water, and I have to get there before her wings fade to be invisible. Look," he pointed to one of the fairy's blue wings, which were a lot more transparent than they had been that afternoon. Kirito then quickly raced out of the room, noticing with a start that the fairy seemed to weigh less than ninety pounds, which was startling for a woman of her size. He quickly reached the stables after running with his sprint active and panting slightly, "I need a horse!" He yelled, "hurry!"

The horse trainers quickly managed to pick up their jaws at seeing Kirito carrying a rather delicate looking fairy and soon enough got him the horse he needed, and with a jump the stretched his abilities, Kirito swung up onto the horse with Asuna in his arms and carefully positioned her to be sitting side saddle, her body still leaning against his chest.

Asuna mewled softly in pain and Kirito felt the urge to smooth down her light blue hair and press a kiss to her forehead, but quickly beat it down, telling himself that he had no right to do it, she wasn't his and that she was in this situation because of him. So instead he rode. "Hiya!"

The ten-minute ride to the lake felt like the longest ride of his life,

The water was cool, icy really, but Kirito didn't let it stop him as he carefully waded into the lake, the water seeping into his black shoes and through his pants as he did so. The fairy in his arms was a little more lucid, and had wrapped her arms loosely around his neck and had her eyes cracked open, shivering from her fever.

 _Please work…_ Kirito pleaded as he waded in up to his waist, Asuna's feet and hips now under the water, _I don't want a fairy to die because of my father._ He stepped further into the lake, water pulling at his shirt around his ribs, with Asuna submerged up to her shoulders in the water. He was careful to keep his jacket wrapped around her to ward off some of the water's chill and protect her modesty with the white dress she was wearing. "Come on… c'mon work!" He looked down at the barely conscious fairy who's eyes connected with his for a half a second before her eye closed and her body grew limp in his grasp. He glanced at the fairy's wings, almost unable to see them under the water, and his eyebrows furrowed in worry before he walked even further into the lake, to the water lapping at his chin before he took a deep breath and plunged completely under the water and stepped deeper into the lake. _Come on, come on!_ He thought as he forced his eyes open to look at the unconscious fairy in his arms, her long blue hair swaying with the water current and floating gently above her head. He moved deeper, thankful for the heavy metal buckled on his shoes and the jacket wrapped around the fairy for weighing them both down and keeping them submerged.

However… Kirito's throat and chest were beginning to burn, and his arms were shaking like a leaf in his struggle to breathe. Black spots were swimming in his vision, and he could hear faint splashing as Liz or one of the others arrived and started toward him. The fairy in his arms didn't move, her status was completely unchanging. _What now?_ He couldn't help but wonder as he felt this overwhelming sense of pressure run through his body. He was out of oxygen, and it didn't work, the Fairy in his arms didn't move, and her wounds weren't healing.

 _I guess this is it, I'm sorry Asuna, I wish I could've saved you,_ Kirito thought dimly as his arms gave out and the human fell to his knees, blackness overtaking his vision. He knew Liz and Agil would pull him out, but he had wanted to help her, this helpless fairy.

Just as his vision completely turned black Kirito could've sworn he saw the fairy's wings twitch and appear bluer than before.

* * *

"Oss naða... bàrum... svalr … vatn!" Kirito dimly heard the sound of a beautiful voice chanting in the language of ALHeim magic when he regained consciousness and breathed in a deep gasping breath, coughing violently and spitting out water. Yet when he opened his eyes, the world was still darker, muted even, as if… his eyes widened. As if he was still under water. And in front of him were the most beautiful blue eyes he had ever seen. And vaguely familiar, like he had seen them only a few times… Memories flooded his mind and he stared at the person, fairy, in front of him.

Her eyes were blue, blue like the late summer sky and seemed to glow softly in the slightly murky freshwater lake, she had one of his wrists in her left hand, expertly checking for a pulse, and she had slid her arms through his black jacket, protecting her modesty against her soaked clothing.

That's when Kirito realized something else, he was inside a large bubble, resting against the bubble in a half sitting up position. His legs were resting in front of him in a half knee bent position, and the fairy…

She was beautiful, even more than before, here in her element she was breathtaking. The fairy had water droplets clinging attractively to her skin and hair, while she was kneeling beside him, her long blue hair swept casually over of her shoulders and dripping softly. The water inside the bubble seemed to pool around her, escaping Kirito's hair and clothes to form a softly glittering pool of clean water around her legs. Water seemed to disobey physics around the magical being, not weighing down her hair and making it heavy and straight, rather it left it a little wavy and a rather silky smooth, while was also softly clinging to her skin.

He was speechless, and at the same time, tongue-tied and nervous. He didn't know how to start a conversation with her, what should he say? _I should probably ask if she's okay, but she looks okay, her wounds have healed and she looks healthy. Plus, I've never been good at talking to girls-_ Kirito's thoughts were cut off as while he mentally freaked out, the Undine in front of him spoke quietly.

"Are you alright?" She murmured softly in English, blue eyes concerned for his safety, "did you get any water in your lungs?" As she spoke she tucked a stray lock on sky blue hair behind her ear.

Kirito's eyes followed her movements for a few moments before the fairy blushed and his coughed awkwardly into his hand. "Y-yeah," he stuttered, pink spreading over his cheeks at well, "I-I'm fine… thank you."

The fairy avoided his eyes, her nose and cheeks dyed a soft rosy pink. "I should be thanking you, after all you saved me."

Kirito sighed, "even so, it's my fault you were shot down."

"How?" The fairy asked curiously and drew her blue eyes back to look at him, "you didn't shoot me down out of the sky."

Kirito sighed heavily, "I didn't shoot you down, but you were captured to be my wife, via my father's orders."

The fairy blinked a few times, her pink lips forming an 'o' shape before unexpectedly, she smiled. "Well there was no reason to actually shoot me down, I was on my way to Aincrad anyway. My father sent me ahead to warn Aincrad's monarchy that he was on his way. Soo, no harm done."

Kirito blinked and looked at the fairy who bore him no ill will even after hearing that he was the reason for her injuries. _This may be a selfish desire,_ he thought to himself as the fairy suddenly scooted closer to him and offered him a hand with a beautiful smile, _but I hope she stays here in Aincrad. I can learn to love this girl, even if she's a fairy and the whole thing isn't my first choice._

The fairy's smile widened slightly and she spoke, "My name's Asuna, daughter of Oberon."

Kirito smiled back at her and grasped her hand, noticing in the back of his head how soft the fairy's skin was. "Kirito, son of Heathcliff."

* * *

"Asunaaaa!"

Asuna had been sitting behind Kirito on his horse, the water fairy's wings were still broken and damaged so she couldn't fly alongside them. However, she had healed enough to tuck the wings into her back with magic and make her seem more human-like besides the pointed ears.

Kirito blinked at the noise and slowed his horse to a trot. _What in the-_ He trailed off as the weight of Asuna's hands on his waist to make sure she didn't fall vanished and something purple tackled the Undine off his horse and into a nearby bush of the Ruby Palace's Garden. He could barely track the purple object with his human eyes. Yet a moment later he realized it was a girl about thirteen hugging the water fairy Asuna around the waist on top of her in the now misshapen bush

"Yuuki, I'm fine..." Asuna wheezed as her face turned red and Kirito dismounted from his horse, the Undine was trying to reach behind her and pry the girl's fingers apart, "I can't... breathe!"

Kirito now recognized the girl as an Imp, a class of ALHeim fairy, and quickened his pace, even though amusement was written all over his face. Until Asuna's face went a little pale anyway.

"And there goes a rib," Asuna wheezed before she patted the girl on the back, looking like she was being strangled from the force of the girl's hug and yet calm and affectionate at the same time. "Oh, and another one…"

Kirito hurried over, half tempted to draw one of his two swords, just in case. "Um, excuse me," he said and moved to tap the purple girl's shoulder, only to have Asuna stop him with a strained smile, her eyes twinkling with amusement and faint pain.

"It's okay… she's… just… worried…" Asuna wheezed and hugged Yuuki back before giving a wheeze like Yuuki squeezed the breath out of her as she tightened her grip. Kirito heard multiple cracks and pops come from the poor Undine's delicate body and Asuna gave a pain filled squeal before the purple haired girl suddenly released her and yanked her to her feet.

Asuna hunched over a little, holding a hand to her ribs and wheezing for air. "Good… to see… you too… Yuuki," she wheezed weakly.

The purple haired girl grinned back at her and opened her mouth to speak, only to be cut off by a tiny flying shape zooming toward Asuna.

"Mama!" The small shape transformed into a young girl with black hair and silver eyes wearing a white sundress and collided with Asuna, knocking her down into the bush again.

Asuna groaned, now spread eagle in the human print shaped bush and Kirito worked hard to contain a snort of laughter around his confusion.

 _Mama? Was Asuna already married?_ Kirito wondered even as he awkwardly stood there, unsure whether or not to get involved.

"Aunt Yuuki told me you got shot down and I was so scared! I thought I wouldn't see you again!" The girl wailed and Asuna coughed where blue blood appeared on her lips. "One sec… Yui gotta heal… from… Yuuki's… hug." She took a struggling breath and sat up with the small girl hugging her tightly. With another cough that sent worry flooding through Kirito's body at the sight of the blue blood on her pink lips, the Undine held out a hand in front of her with her fingers splayed and spoke. In the language of magic. "Þú fylla heill austr," she chanted in the strange language and thin tendrils of water burst from her fingers to form some kind of thin water cocoon for a brief second. Which enveloped the Undine's slender form and the child sitting on her lap.

When the water glowed and shattered into a thousand droplets, Kirito was surprised to see that the Undine was breathing fine, the blood on her lips had vanished, and the bruising on her head and arms had faded drastically. Her eyes were faintly glowing though, and not everything was healed, but she wasn't pale anymore and she looked much healthier.

"Sorry," the purple haired girl Yuuki grinned at the water fairy in a sheepish fashion, "but you had us all worried! You were supposed to tell us when you got here, not be shot out of the sky and tranquilized!"

Asuna rolled her eyes and stood up, easily lifting the eight-year-old girl in her arms like she was a feather, "how am I supposed to know I'm being shot down? I don't have a sixth sense Yuuki, now come on, you're drawing attention to us."

"You okay?" Kirito asked the water fairy, feeling protective of the beautiful but rather delicate looking fairy. "Do you need to go back to the lake?"

Yuuki tilted her head slightly before she grinned at Asuna and nudged her in a goofy fashion before the Undine stopped her. "Ooh, look at you Asuna!"

Asuna's cheeks tinted with a pink blush and she scowled at Yuuki, "I was unconscious and wasn't near any water, cut me some slack!"

Kirito had no idea what they were talking about, something probably fairy related that he didn't understand. "Erm, we should probably get to inside the palace before the king freaks," he pointed out as he walked back to his horse and swung himself up and into the saddle once more.

Asuna smiled at him and nodded before she jumped up behind him, and the child that had been sitting on her lap vanished, a small pixie hovering in the air in replacement.

Kirito gawked and stared at the tiny pixie as she flew over his head and landed lightly on Asuna's shoulder. _Magic… it's freaking amazing!_


	25. Genetically Modified

**_~Duckwhisker~_**

 _Really? That's awesome! And yes! Another Warriors fan *Squee!* Have you seen my WHSS story? :D_

 _ **~AnimeRain14~**_

 _Thanks! And I really do like that world, playing with the magic like that is too much fun Xd Not if only I can finish the next part XD_

 _ **~K2-Black-Panther~**_

 _I'm glad you liked it, it was long but fun process!_

 _ **~S10MC2015~**_

 _R.I.P XD_

* * *

 _ **Wow, I finally updated XD With some random idea that I myself don't really understand XD I've been having a hard time coming up with ideas for Little Moments, hence the late delay Xd Although I am working on the requests again, particularly the Sugu and Yui babysitting one :D**_

 _ **BTW the "I'll Wait Forever" One-Shot series has been updated with "Was it All a Joke to You?" So feel free to check it out! :D**_

* * *

 _ **Genetically Modfied**_

 _Prologue (Possibly?)_

 _No… No… NO!_ The feelings that ran through Kirito's body at the current moment were stronger than any other emotion he had ever felt before. Watching the pixels scatter like coldly twinkling stars and feeling his arms close around empty air was the harshest punishment he could endure at the current point in time. After all, there was nothing worse than the feeling of his heart and soul being crushed. From the grief in the form of one-thousand pound chains that wrapped itself firmly around his heart; the loss of the one who had protected him to the extent of losing her own life.

"Asuna…" Her name escaped his lips in the form of broken sounds. As broken as his wounded heart. His muscles screamed as he reached for her, reaching desperately for the remaining shards of what remained of his light in the darkness and violence of SAO.

The shards remained cold to him, unyielding to the young man's broken soul. Disappearing into nothingness and refusing to even once let his fingertips touch the broken lights of what was left of Asuna's gaming avatar.

The shards were like her light, the light she had used to push herself toward finishing the game and reminding Kirito that the game was more than a torture system that he had to suffer through every day. Rather that it was their life together, a place where he could fight for others and come home to their cabin with her. A place where he could fall asleep with the sweet strawberry scent that clung to Asuna's hair and skin, with his other half tucked securely in his arms. Protecting each other in their sleep.

But it was gone now. The visible shards of broken lights were Asuna's life essence, The essence that made her who she was, and with it truly free out in the world she was gone. From VR, from their home on floor twenty-two in aincrad, and from the real world they were born in, cities apart.

"ASUNA!" The wretched cry tore from Kirito's throat and his sword swung blindly, picking up Asuna's remaining treasure, her lambent light sword. "You took her…" his voice cracked as his swung blindly, vision obscured by the tears welling in his silver eyes. "YOU TOOK ASUNA!"

He fought till his muscles screamed at him, screaming in agony at the harsh torture they were still being put through. Crying through his swings and struggling to keep any part of himself together with the grief wrapping itself around him in a deathly grip. "You took her…" He croaked as his knees finally gave out and he crashed almost violently to the ground, the swords clattering to the ground beside him as he hunched over, his head almost touching the floor as he tried desperately to keep it together, to keep it together for Asuna, just till he could end it all.

* * *

" _Kirito!" Asuna's bubbling laughter made the smack he'd get later worth it as he hastily made his exit from the room and dodged the hairbrush she materialized from her inventory to throw at him. "Get out of here you dork!"_

" _Alright, alright!" Kirito laughed and shut the door behind him, "I'm going! I'm going, jeez!" He couldn't help the smile on his face though, Asuna was too cute for her own good. He had known from the beginning that she liked water, particular baths for some reason, having sat many nights keeping watch in front of tents or various areas for her sanity. However, lately she had an obsession with bubble baths, like a bath with enough bubbles to hide all the water._

 _For as fierce as she was on the battlefield and easily embarrassed she was about things in their relationship, she was a soft romantic on the inside and that was what he alone got to see._

 _However, even with her high tolerance for him and his antics, she would no doubt kill him if she found out he had taken a picture with a recording crystal. A picture of her innocently sitting there in the teak wood bathtub with bubbles gathered around her up to her armpits, poking a few of the floating bubbles with one delicate index finger. Her face a perfect picture of child-like curiosity._

* * *

Kirito felt the growing lump in his throat choking him as his shoulders began shaking, his shaky control over his emotions lessening at the memory crossing his consciousness. He couldn't do it, he wasn't strong enough to keep it together "Just kill me already…"

"Kirito!"  
"No! Kirito get up!"

"Come on man! You have to finish this!"

* * *

" _Kirito?" Asuna's voice was gently concerned as she approached him, her own voice choked with emotion. Gentle fingers wrapped around his wrist and gently tugged his fist away from the wall to be cradling his hand in both of hers. "Are you okay?"_

 _How could he be okay? How could he be okay hearing Asuna's sniffles whenever she thought he wasn't paying attention? How could he be okay when late at night he'd hear her huddle in a ball under the blankets and cry, trying to hide how badly she was dealing with the loss of their AI daughter? The child they had taken in as their own and cared for a year now. With her birthday falling just a few days before they lost her._

 _But… he couldn't tell her that, he had to stay strong for her, he had to be there as her support system. He loved Yui just like his own daughter, in fact she was their first born in both of their opinions, but Asuna… Asuna bonded with Yui in a way that told both of them that silently Asuna was Yui's favorite parent, that Yui was a mama's girl. Sure Yui loved riding on Kirito's shoulders and eating his sandwiches, but with his dungeon grinding to make sure they had col and to keep his skills sharp, Asuna spent more time at home with Yui. Not that Kirito or Yui minded, Yui loved them both the same, she just connected differently with Asuna and Kirito knew that._

" _Kirito," Asuna's voice broke him from his thoughts, her voice concerned and slightly scared. "Are you okay? You're not hurt are you? Maybe you're sick again?" The back of her hand brushed his forehead and Kirito closed his eyes for a moment, leaning into her touch and letting her worry about him._

 _However, after a moment of silence and Asuna pulling her hand away from his face, Kirito felt Asuna's arms slip around his waist and felt her hug him tightly. Her front pressed against his from the strength of her hug._

 _Kirito opened his eyes and looked down at his young bride who was bending her knees a little to adjust her height to allow her face to be comfortably pressed against the soft fabric of his shirt. "Asuna?" He asked in a questioning tone, silently asking her what she was doing. He wasn't against her hugging him, but out of the blue like this? That was strange for her._

 _Asuna's voice was muffled from his shirt as she spoke, but Kirito's heart still broke a little at her words. "I want a hug," she said quietly, her voice oddly even. "I miss Yui Kirito."_

 _Kirito wrapped his arms around her, holding her close with one hand in her hair and the other wrapped securely around her waist. "I miss her too Asuna," he squeezed his eyes shut, "I miss her so much."_

 _Asuna's grasp around his waist tightened and Kirito felt one of her hands begin to rub up and down his back in a soothing manner._

" _I miss her so much…" Kirito croaked, screwing up his face before burying it into Asuna's hair, shaking slightly. "Our little girl…"_

 _Asuna said nothing for a moment, her breathing and shoulders even as she comforted her other half._

 _Then, as Kirito sniffled and took a deep breath of the strawberry scent clinging to her long locks, Asuna spoke. "It's our daughter Kirito, it's always okay to cry with me… always…"_

* * *

"First you took our daughter," Kirito croaked to Kyaba, his head still still nearly touching the floor.

"Daughter?" Whispers echoed around the room, shock at Kirito's words and groups whispering together in confusion.

* * *

" _Mommy! Daddy!"_

 _Kirito kept his eyes closed through the small thump of weight beside him that signaled the waking of his daughter Yui. Fighting to keep the smile off of his face as she jumped a little on the bed and prodded his shoulder._

" _Daddy? Are you still asleep?"_

 _Kirito could feel that Asuna was still asleep, by the way her body felt like a dead weight on his arm and how slow her breathing was. However, by the clock on his HUD, he knew she would be up within minutes, so she wouldn't mind if he woke her up by playing with Yui._

" _Daddy!" Yui whined and shook his shoulder with her small hands, "I want to go play outside!"_

 _Kirito still didn't move, keeping still and waiting for his chance to strike._

" _Daddy! Daddy! Come on Daddy" The end of the sentence turned into a squeal as Kirito turned over with a playful roar and pounced on the eight-year-old girl._

" _Who dares wake up the bear?" Kirito playfully roared and tickled his daughter who squealed and squirmed, attempting to escape his hands._

" _I'm sorry! I'm sorry Daddy!" Yui giggled, using both of her smaller hands to envelop one of his, preventing his tickling with one hand._

" _What's going on?" Asuna's groggy voice came from the other side of the bed where she had propped herself up on one arm and looked over her shoulder at them through drowsy eyes._

" _Mommy save me!" Yui squealed between giggles and Kirito let up his hold on her so she could escape and scramble over to her mother. Hiding via her raised form with only the top of her head and round doe eyes poking up above her at her father. "Daddy's being a meanie bear!"_

 _Asuna looked down at Yui, and then back up at Kirito, her amber eyes drowsy and sleepy as she tried to properly mull over what was going on. "What…?"_

 _Kirito smiled at her sleepy expression, finding it adorable with her slightly sleep messy hair and sleepy doe eyes that matched Yui's. "Nothing hun," he laughed and scooted over to them. "Relax Yui, no more tickles," he appeased his wary looking daughter with a kiss on the top of the head before leaning over Asuna's head with a grin and kissing her upside down good morning. "Just playing with Yui," he said once he pulled back._

 _Asuna blinked sleepily for a moment before she rolled her eyes."You're such a child," she sighed and sat up, Kirito moving in the process as she very casually ignored him. "C'mere Yui," Asuna lightly patted her lap and held her arms open to her daughter, "good morning pumpkin."_

 _Yui didn't hesitate scrambling forward and into her mother's embrace, playfully poking her tongue out at her father and giggling when he looked mock hurt._

 _Kirito's mock hurt expression dissolved into a soft smile at the two of them, Asuna running her fingers through her daughter's hair and undoing the slight tangles, as tangled as SAO allowed hair to be._

* * *

"And then you took my wife," Kirito croaked miserably, trembling. "Just kill me already, I have nothing left here in ALS. I lost everything important to me here."

"What about IRL?!" Klein shouted, and the words finally got Kirito's attention, making his eyes widen. "What about your little sister Kirito?!"

"Sugu…" Kirito breathed, and he swallowed hard, feeling the grief fighting with his protective instincts for protecting his sister. Even from himself.

"What will happen to her if you die here Kirito?!" Agil added in, "you can't abandon your sister man!"

"Asuna wouldn't want you to abandon her!" Another voice added in, where Liz, Asuna's best friend was sprawled on the floor too, having accompanied them just once to a raid. A raid where her best friend died in front of her eyes. "Asuna believes in you! Don't let that belief go to waste Kirito!"

Kirito stared vacantly down at the floor in front of him, staring down at the tiles. He needed to protect Sugu, but… but Asuna and Yui were dead, tears welled in his eyes once more. His personal family was dead, dead and taken from him. "I can't… I can't do it…"

 _I love you so much, and I know you can do this Kirito..._

 _Don't give in Daddy!"_

Kirito gave a shuddering sob, but he got up, forcing himself to his feet to fight one more time, to fight for his little girl, Asuna, and his sister and mother IRL. "You can't have any more of my family!" He roared as his sword and Asuna's rapier glowed pale blue, "I won't let you have them! Do you hear me Kyaba?! You will never hurt my family again!"

The peaceful smile on Kyaba's face would've bothered Kirito as he lunged were it not for his tunnel focus drive on ending the pain, ending SAO with the shattered heart cradled by many chains.

* * *

Kirito's eyes flashed open, open with blurry vision of what looked like green liquid? Green liquid and metal and glass? What was going on? He could hear faint voices, like they were talking about how to release the latch on whatever he was is, but did it really matter? He made it to the real world, he escaped Kyaba's grasp, but Asuna was gone. She was gone, and so was Yui. His wife and daughter were dead and gone, never to see him again.

"Open… that."

"What? How… that?"

Kirito let his eyes close, not wanting to wake up yet. He wanted to be with Asuna and Yui, he missed them so much already.

"Find… is… awake?"

"Asuna?"

The sound of his wife's name made his eyes snap open and his fists were hitting the glass before he thought about it. Silver eyes glowing with hope and at the same time hatred for whoever was tricking him.

"Woah! He's… that normal?"

"Find Asuna… She's… wandering… looking…"

"But… don't know… there."

Kirito hit the glass harder just about slamming his fists into the glass in front of him with narrowed eyes. _I need to get out of here! Get me out of here already!_ With that silent roar his fists hit the glass once more and the entire thing shattered. Causing all the liquid to come spilling out onto the floor with Kirito, depositing him on his stomach on the floor coughing out the green liquid in his lungs.

Kirito felt distorted, dizzy like the world was spinning in circles and able to hear what sounded like gunfire nearby.

"God grief Kirito! You're going to make yourself sick doing that!" A female voice snapped and Kirito felt someone place their hands on his back and pat down hard, forcing more of the liquid up while he struggled to breathe. "Breathe Black Swordsman! Stop choking on normal air and breathe it in!"

"Easy Liz," a sniff followed the other girl's words, like her airways twitched. "He didn't go through the releasing procedure, I bet he's not used to the air just yet."

"A… S..U...N…A…" Kirito croaked, spelling out his wife's name through his choking breaths as his body adjusted to normal air instead of the liquid in the chamber he had been held captive in.

"She's on here, I fetched her. She found someone you're going on what to meet Kirito," the second voice told him while Liz stopped pounding his back and instead rubbed it, helping the disoriented man breathe.

"Asuna's also got your gear and everything, we've been awake for a few hours now," Liz explained. "ALS suddenly shut down and we woke up here, just about had a heart attack when my chamber suddenly opened and Asuna of all people caught me practically sobbing-"

"Where…" Kirito wheezed and cut her off, pulling himself onto his hands and knees, "is she?"

"Liz?" A voice came from further down the hall, "what did Argo mean- Kirito!"

Kirito tried to lift his head at the familiar voice, warmth spreading through his heart at the familiar tones of her voice. "As...una…"

"Are you okay?" There was a clattering sound that hurt Kirito's ears like the sound of a bunch of metal and cloth dropping quickly to the ground before a pair of knees slid into his vision and someone's warm hands cupped his cheeks, pulling his head up so she could look at him properly.

Sure enough caramel colored locks framed her face and spilled down her back with matching tendrils hanging over her shoulders. Frantic amber eyes raked over his face and head as she gently twisted his head from side to side, looking for injuries and likely a concussion.

"I'm… okay…" Kirito wheezed and managed to lift one stiff arm to grasp at her wrist, touching her skin and feeling her warmth seep into his cold and clammy skin. "Asuna… I didn't… I didn't think… I'd see you again…"

Asuna broke into relieved laughter and hugged his head to her chest before releasing him for a second to pull him close to her and hugging him close to her, her face buried into the crook of his neck. "Never do that again!" Asuna spoke in a half blubbering tone, her tears wetting Kirito's skin, "Quit playing hero! My heart can't handle it you idiot!"

"I'm sorry…" Kirito wheezed, physically unable to return her relieved and desperate embrace. "I'm so sorry Asuna… I won't… I won't do it again… I promise."

"I can't lose you," Asuna rambled and hugged him closer, completely disregarding what he had said. "What am I supposed to do without you now that all this is happening? Aincrad, I was so scared when I woke up here all alone! And then someone was someone breaking the glass of my chamber thing and I managed to get away but I couldn't find you and I was so scared I'd lost you when I already lost Yui and Argo and I couldn't do it again Kirito!" Her voice raised in pitch till the end where she seemed to completely lose steam and just cling to him, mumbling into his neck. "I'm so glad you're here… I can't lose you Kirito."

"I know," Kirito coughed, his breathing evening out as he listened to Asuna's tirade and managed to weakly place a comforting hand on her knee, "I can't lose you either Asuna… I can't."

Asuna half laughed half cried, visibly relieved to hear his voice properly.

"This touching and all, seeing my best friend and her idiot of a husband together again," Liz said despite how Kirito could see that she was brushing relieved tears from her eyes. "We have bigger problems such as getting out of here."  
"What do you mean?" Kirito asked her, lifting his head slightly with what physical strength he was regaining. "Where are we?"

"We're in some sort of station," Argo explained, and Kirito realized with a start that she had whiskers on her cheeks, as if painted on her cheeks, but it was fused into her skin. "A station fighting off some kind of terrorist group." At the look on his face, Argo nodded. "They're here for us Kirito. We've been genetically modified, and are being attacked by terrorists as we speak."

* * *

 **Status of Current Requests**

 **Kirito Comforts Sinon after GGO Spin-Off "I Will, No WE Will Protect You"**

Up to where Kyouji pulls a gun on Asuna and Sinon's heart starts racing from panic

 **Leafa Aids Kirito with Sugou (Guilded Hero Alt. Ending) "Who's Going to Save Kirito?"**

Almost finished, needs some special dialogue and touching up (Currently on Hold)

 **Asuna's Nightmares and Kirito's Rage "They Don't Stop… I'm So Sorry Asuna…"**

Title modified, up to where Kirito gets frustrated at his sister and storms off to his bedroom while Asuna's asleep on the living room couch with Yui snuggled next to her. Yui's scared and frightened and the sound of Kirito's door slamming startles Asuna awake.

 **Leafa Babysits Yui Alone For The First Time "What if I Mess Up? You Won't Auntie!"**

Beginning for the 4 parts written. Chapter spans 4 worlds, "Asuna's Killed," "ALS" "Just ALO" and "Broken Warrior," so will be longer than average.

* * *

 **Upcoming Named Chapters**

 _Kirito… Just Hold On A Little Longer… ~ Part of the "Asuna's Killed in ALO" series_

 _What am I going to do with you? ~Asuna's under pain meds and Kirito fumbles for what he's supposed to do. (Part of Asuna's Blinded Request)_

 _You Idiot! ~ They weren't supposed to fight IRL, but Asuna's Kirito's, and boy is he going to prove it._

 _IRL Lighting Flash ~ Asuna's a track team runner, Kirito's a young boy with skill with technology. When an accident happens and Asuna's rendered unable to persue her dream, will the antisocial inventor come to her rescue?_

 _I… I've Killed Too Remember? ~ Alt GGO moment, where Asuna shoulders Kirito's burdern for him and takes matters into her own hands. Death Gun, meet the Sword Dance of Black and White._

 _(NEW) Peace Brought On An Ocean Breeze ~ Sugou did more than threaten Asuna, but his tech doesn't work, leaving Asuna almost paralyzed from the hips down. She's not really all that bothered, having grown up with medical problems and spending most of her life in a wheelchair already, but on those days when she feels like she can't keep going, Kirito's now there, making her life complete._

* * *

 **Other SAO Stories**

 _I'll wait for as long as it takes Kirito_ _~ Kirito has decided after being in a party with her for a year, that Asuna's potential is limitless. So she needs to be with a guild, the new third guild called the KoB. But to get her there he may have to push her away to get her to leave him and join the guild. However, one sentence stops him in his tracks 'Because I love you! I love you much to leave...' (Kirisuna)_ _ **(COMPLETED) (Sequel Completed) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _New Memories And Resolve_ _~ Numbed by rejection and heartbreak, Asuna is at a loss of what to do. So she makes the hard decision to follow Kirito's wishes and join the KoB, purely for his sake. However, Kirito wants one more day with her, a last day of making new memories and and giving her the strength to go on. "I care for you more than you'll ever know Asuna…" (Sequel to 'I'll wait as long as it Takes Kirito) (Kirisuna)_ _ **(Completed) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Was it All a Joke to You?_ _ ***New***_ _Getting used to the separation is hard for both parties, but when Kirito and other players' lives are in danger, Asuna instantly comes to his aid. However, harsh words are said after an accidental kiss from Sachi and now Asuna is left wondering, "was it all a joke to him?" (Sequel to 'New Memories and Resolve) (Kirisuna) (_ _ **Completed) |I'll wait Forever Series|**_

 _Stolen Kisses, Iron Resolve_ _~ After seeing Asuna change drastically to the point where he sometimes fears for her life, Kirito wavers in his decision. What it really a good idea to seperate when Asuna was so torn up by it? They both falter, and for a few moments it's like it's gone back to normal. Something happens and Kirito's resolve is strengthened to iron. But is it really for the best? To push her away only to be drawn back to her and have to push her away again? (Sequel to Was if All a Joke to You?) (Kirisuna) (_ _ **In progress) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Butter Knives and Togas_ _~ Argo needs info, Asuna and Kirito volunteer, they find out there's a reason no player escaped the dungeon, and it's a miracle Kirito can take his eyes off of Asuna at all. Plus the next boss fight is in two days, their inventories have been snatched, Kirito's wearing armor he can barely stand in, Asuna looks like an angel, and their armed with butter knives. Seriously Kyaba?_ _ **(To be Uploaded)**_ _**|I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Please… Don't Do this_ _~ Asuna's had enough. The lonely and tired girl gazed below at the water from where she was sitting, was it worth it? And if so, what could change her mind? A boy from her past who's been looking for her since she beat him in a tournament two and a half years ago. 'I will NOT lose you! Never again!' Heavy AU_ _**(Completed)**_

 _The Hacker's Role_ _~ I unknowingly helped make the game unhackable from the outside, and now I'm going to make up for my mistakes. I wasn't originally trapped in the game, but now? Now I'm the mystery that keeps players alive. I was a Beta Tester alongside my childhood friend 'the Rat,' and now I'm nicknamed "the Hacker" or "AI." Why? Because in other players eyes, I can't be killed, so I will beat this game. (Collection centered around Caylee's involvement in SAO.)_ _ **(In Progress)**_

 _What I Power My Sword With_ _~ ...I power it with love. Love for her, my equal and better half. I power my sword with the thought of protecting everyone in the Underworld and one day returning to the girl with amber eyes and long caramel colored hair named Asuna Yuuki. I know she's waiting for me, with open arms for when I return. Kirito will always carry Asuna in his heart, even in a world tens of years away._


	26. Lost memories

_**~S10MC2015~**_

 _You're very welcome Xd I'm trying to upload on a slow schedule now (along with the fifteen other stories I'm regulating XD) so updates should be more regular and everything! :D_

 _ **~Tawnis~**_

 _I'm taking your PM words into account and will be rewriting the first few chapters along with putting an A/N about how the chapters' lengths increase and stuff :P_

* * *

 _It's been a year since it all ended,_ Kirito took a deep inhale of the fresh air, tasting the lack of bitter city pollution in the suburb air around him. His muscles expressed their relief in escaping the cramped confines of the van he had been in for the past hour and a half with his sister Sugu and other people he hadn't really bothered to have gotten the names of.

Besides Klein anyway, the redhead had been rather chatty with him in particular, saying that his attitude reminded him of someone inside the game.

Not that that was in anyway possible. Everyone that had been trapped in that horrid game for three years had no memories of the experience, it was just a massive blank space of three years of their memories with nothing more than the echoes of their lingering emotions during the experience. Although for Kirito...

There wasn't just a hole in his memories. Ever since he had woken up from SAO there was this hole of sorts in his heart. With excruciating pain for the first few months after waking up of grief, like he had lost someone that meant more to him that even his sister Sugu had.

Sugu… who had been there every day from the moment he had woken up from the three month adventure that he didn't remember anything about either after SAO.

"Come on Kazuto!" Sugu's voice pierced the humming mess that consisted of the SAO survivor's mind, gently pulling him back to reality and away from his musing thoughts and prodding of the blank space where his memories were missing. "We should get checked in and everything right big brother?"

"Yeah," Kirito spoke with a reluctant sigh, "we probably should huh Sugu?" Kirito's dark silver eyes gazed up at the campus style set of buildings. Where he knew he wouldn't be leaving for a long time if what Kikouka had told him was true. Apparently in the game he had been one of the central players to beat the game and was nicknamed the "Black Swordsman" in favor off all the black he wore along with his beater status.

There were some details he remembered, like how he had taken upon himself the title beater to protect other beta-testers and some of his own abilities like his level one fishing skill and maxed one handed sword skill. However, beyond that his memory was just blank. Even though he frequently woke up in the middle of the night with a yell he hardly recognized as his own and tears marking his face with glistening trails, and other nights where he slept all the way through the night but found himself hugging all of his blankets as if he was cuddling something or _someone._ No matter what he tried, though he couldn't remember what he had been dreaming about or having a nightmare about other than it involved SAO. Which he was still haunted by a year after his escape from the game and six months after his escape from another game.

Someone jogging past the entrance at an almost abnormally fast pace caught his attention and his onyx colored eyes _**(a dark silver or gray)**_ focused on them in an instant, curiosity pulling his attention and something tugging at the recesses of his mind keeping it there.

The person was a girl about his age, who had long strawberry blonde hair with a faint ginger tint to it almost like caramel and fair skin. She was clothed in a mostly white runner's dry-fit shirt with the shoulders cut out with thick almost ribbon like 'x' shaped red sleeves, dark grey runners shorts with red hems and edges, and red and white runners shoes. Her long hair was tied up into a long ponytail with a slim braid disappearing into the strands of the ponytail, allowing the thin strips of sky blue in her braid and ponytail to be visible and bluetooth earbuds hung around her neck with the actual earbud tucked into her delicate ears. Her expression was calm, her femine features from her button nose to her thin eyebrows showing a calm peace. However beneath that calm peace in her expression Kirito could sense an aura of power and leadership emanating from her softly curved form.

A girl with pink hair and eyes, a feature displaying her SAO enhancements, managed to catch up to the other girl, her pink eyes darting curiously over to Kirito's curious form.

Kirito felt his cheeks burn at the other girl's obvious catching him in the act of staring at her friend, but couldn't look away from the caramel haired girl. Something was telling him to wait and keep looking at her. Not matter how red his face got.

Kirito watched as the pink haired girl managed to keep up with the other girl, running to keep up with the other girl's jogging pace and longer legs. She prodded the caramel haired girl's shoulder and he watched as the mentioned girl slowed to a stop and removed her earbuds from her ears, her mouth moving as she spoke to the other girl outside of earshot.

Kirito felt his ears burn as well as the caramel haired girl blinked and then turned toward him, one hand holding one of her earbuds with a puzzled and curious look in her eyes.

Kirito had even seen eyes as beautiful as the ones belonging to her. Her eyes were hazel, a soft brown that almost matched her hair, but as he looked at her her eyes adopted a bluish hue. A blue that seemed to give off a strange mythical sense.

Kirito's hand instinctively went to the hair at the back of his head that permanently stuck up and defied physics as if he had been touched by magic. Kikouka had told him that survivors of the second game would have abnormalities that others wouldn't, such as his cowlick that couldn't be moved or styled, so the way her eye color shifted back to a soft hazel with a thin ring of blue made him wonder. Was she one of them? Was she one of the few survivors like him and his sister that were "touched with magic?" Giving him his cowlick and causing his irises to glow in the dark and Sugu's now permanently green eyes?

The caramel haired girl kept eye contact with him for a few more moments, and Kirito knew even if she was an ALO survivor there was another reason for him being drawn to her like that. And it likely had to do with the aching in his heart, some kind of aching longing he didn't understand. _What's going on?_ He dimly wondered, finding himself unable to break the near staring contest going on between them. _I don't… I just met her… right? Then why do I feel like this and why is my brain screaming at me to go to her?_

The girl looked slightly confused too, those intense eyes a whirlwind of confusion like even she wasn't sure what was going on. So they remained frozen, Kirito's mind working a million miles a minute.

 _Why do I feel drawn to her? Like I've been waiting forever to find her again? Wait, again?_ Kirito blinked and found himself taking a step toward her, _I haven't met her before, have I? Or maybe I have… but where?_

"Kazuto?" Sugu's light touch on his arm broke the spell.

Kirito instantly turned back to his sister and the caramel haired girl turned back toward her friend, a visibly confused and slightly scared expression on her delicate face. "What? Sorry Sugu," he hastily apologized and forced himself to focus on his sister. Taking both suitcases from her and carrying them with ease due to one of his abilities Kikouka called his STR parameter.

"Who's that anyway?" Sugu asked curiously, her green eyes darting toward the caramel haired girl who was now jogging away.

"I have no idea," Kirito said truthfully and avoided looking in the strange girl's direction. However truthful he had said the words he couldn't help but feel like somehow he was lying. He knew her, from where he didn't know, but he definitely knew that girl.

"You don't sound sure," Sugu pointed out the wavering in his voice as she followed him toward the building, noticing the caramel haired girl's friend jogging toward them but saying nothing about it to her brother.

"I've never met her IRL," Kirito explained, choosing his words with care and reflecting over the girl's appearance in his mind's eye, "but maybe I have in the death games." The question was where? Where in SAO or ALO? Where did he know her from and why did he feel so strongly for her?

Sugu looked curiously after the girl's retreating form, her stride even and almost inhumanly balanced. "Huh, I guess that could've happened, I wouldn't know if she was from SAO though, I was only trapped in ALO with you. That being said…" the other Kirigaya trailed thoughtfully, "she doesn't seem at least a little familiar."

"Hi there!"

The voice startled Kirito enough to nearly drop both suitcases. Instead he gave a _very_ manly yelp and looked wide-eyed at the person in front of him. It was the other girl's friend, the pink haired girl with pink eyes."

The pink haired girl chuckled a offered a rather cheeky smile, "hi there, my name's Rika. That being said I'm sure you'll both end up knowing me as Liz, my SAO handle."

Ah, the two names thing. Kirito had almost forgotten that they were supposed to go by their SAO and or ALO handles while they were here, making it easier for the staff to keep track of everyone.

"Hi Liz," Sugu greeted the other girl with a smile, "I'm Sugu, or Leafa really."

"Call her Sugu," Kirito said with a cautious smile of his own, "Leafa sounds really weird."

"You're so mean big brother!" Sugu puffed out her cheeks and lightly stepped on his foot, "Leafa is not that weird of an avatar name!"

"Hate to admit it," Liz said with a smirk, "but Sugu's easier for me to remember with the whole 'crazy gamer handle names.'"

Kirito looked smugly at his sister before looking at the pink haired girl, words escaping his mouth without him consciously thinking about them. "Thanks Lizzzbeth-" he stopped speaking and walking aburptly, as did the other two.

"Wait, what did you call me?" Liz asked, confusion now lacing her tone along with it showing in her eyes. "And why did you say it like that?

"I… I don't know why I said it like that," Kirito stumbled over his words, eyebrows furrowing together in confusion. "It just came out like that."

Liz gave him a curious look, "what's your SAO name?"

Kirito wet his dry lips and spoke his gamer handle in a cautious manner. "My SAO name was Kirito, or at least that's what people tell me it was."

Liz looked oddly at him, pink eyes confused and surprised, "you don't remember your own SAO name?"

Kirito fidgeted a little awkwardly, "I do but I don't," he explained awkwardly, "I have memory loss, more than the average player. So I don't remember much of anything about SAO at all other than what this tells me." He put down one of the suitcases and flicked his wrist, summoning a holographic menu and clicking his character profile before setting it to be visible to the other players. "I don't consciously remember much of anything really SAO-wise, so I have to use this to tell me information about what my avatar and character did in the game."

Liz scanned over the information, a finger resting thoughtfully at her chin as she moved back and studied him. "You do look familiar, although for now I can't really place where. Tell you what, I'll ask around and look for some information and meet up with you again. After all your situation reminds me of my best friend's."

"Is that the girl jogging from earlier?" Sugu interjected and Kirito jumped, having forgotten his sister was standing beside him. She was currently leaning over his shoulder, peering at the menu again for the fiftieth time.

"Yup," Liz smiled at the pair of them, "that's Asuna the lightning flash, my best friend and fastest person here."

 _Asuna the lightning flash?_ Kirito's eyebrows furrowed again as he thought hard, wracking his brain for anything from just the name alone. _Where have I heard that before? Dammit I know it's important!_ He growled out loud in frustration, mentally zoning out of the current present and delving into the black hole that was his SAO memories. Why couldn't he remember her? He could tell the name and person associated with it was essential to his life inside the first death game and why did he feel like he had been by her side before? That he had to be with her now?

* * *

 **Status of Current Requests**

 **Kirito Comforts Sinon after GGO Spin-Off "I Will, No WE Will Protect You"**

Up to where Kyouji pulls a gun on Asuna and Sinon's heart starts racing from panic

 **Leafa Aids Kirito with Sugou (Guilded Hero Alt. Ending) "Who's Going to Save Kirito?"**

Almost finished, needs some special dialogue and touching up (Currently on Hold)

 **Asuna's Nightmares and Kirito's Rage "They Don't Stop… I'm So Sorry Asuna…"**

Title modified, up to where Kirito gets frustrated at his sister and storms off to his bedroom while Asuna's asleep on the living room couch with Yui snuggled next to her. Yui's scared and frightened and the sound of Kirito's door slamming startles Asuna awake.

 **Leafa Babysits Yui Alone For The First Time "What if I Mess Up? You Won't Auntie!"**

Beginning for the 4 parts written. Chapter spans 4 worlds, "Asuna's Killed," "ALS" "Just ALO" and "Broken Warrior," so will be longer than average.

* * *

 **Upcoming Named Chapters**

 _Kirito… Just Hold On A Little Longer… ~ Part of the "Asuna's Killed in ALO" series_

 _The Hacker, Hated or Loved? ~ Hackers Role Crossover_

 _ALS, Asuna's Sisters ~ Asuna has two sisters, a very cute gamer of a best friend, and a whole summer to spend with her friends, what can go wrong and what can go right?_

 _What am I going to do with you? ~Asuna's under pain meds and Kirito fumbles for what he's supposed to do. (Part of Asuna's Blinded Request)_

 _You Idiot! ~ They weren't supposed to fight IRL, but Asuna's Kirito's, and boy is he going to prove it._

 _IRL Lighting Flash ~ Asuna's a track team runner, Kirito's a young boy with skill with technology. When an accident happens and Asuna's rendered unable to persue her dream, will the antisocial inventor come to her rescue?_

 _I… I've Killed Too Remember? ~ Alt GGO moment, where Asuna shoulders Kirito's burdern for him and takes matters into her own hands. Death Gun, meet the Sword Dance of Black and White._

 _(NEW) Peace Brought On An Ocean Breeze ~ Sugou did more than threaten Asuna, but his tech doesn't work, leaving Asuna almost paralyzed from the hips down. She's not really all that bothered, having grown up with medical problems and spending most of her life in a wheelchair already, but on those days when she feels like she can't keep going, Kirito's now there, making her life complete._

* * *

 **Other SAO Stories**

 _I'll wait for as long as it takes Kirito_ _~ Kirito has decided after being in a party with her for a year, that Asuna's potential is limitless. So she needs to be with a guild, the new third guild called the KoB. But to get her there he may have to push her away to get her to leave him and join the guild. However, one sentence stops him in his tracks 'Because I love you! I love you much to leave...' (Kirisuna)_ _ **(COMPLETED) (Sequel Completed) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _New Memories And Resolve_ _~ Numbed by rejection and heartbreak, Asuna is at a loss of what to do. So she makes the hard decision to follow Kirito's wishes and join the KoB, purely for his sake. However, Kirito wants one more day with her, a last day of making new memories and and giving her the strength to go on. "I care for you more than you'll ever know Asuna…" (Sequel to 'I'll wait as long as it Takes Kirito) (Kirisuna)_ _ **(Completed) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Was it All a Joke to You?_ _ ***New***_ _Getting used to the separation is hard for both parties, but when Kirito and other players' lives are in danger, Asuna instantly comes to his aid. However, harsh words are said after an accidental kiss from Sachi and now Asuna is left wondering, "was it all a joke to him?" (Sequel to 'New Memories and Resolve) (Kirisuna) (_ _ **Completed) |I'll wait Forever Series|**_

 _Stolen Kisses, Iron Resolve_ _~ After seeing Asuna change drastically to the point where he sometimes fears for her life, Kirito wavers in his decision. What it really a good idea to seperate when Asuna was so torn up by it? They both falter, and for a few moments it's like it's gone back to normal. Something happens and Kirito's resolve is strengthened to iron. But is it really for the best? To push her away only to be drawn back to her and have to push her away again? (Sequel to Was if All a Joke to You?) (Kirisuna) (_ _ **In progress) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Butter Knives and Togas_ _~ Argo needs info, Asuna and Kirito volunteer, they find out there's a reason no player escaped the dungeon, and it's a miracle Kirito can take his eyes off of Asuna at all. Plus the next boss fight is in two days, their inventories have been snatched, Kirito's wearing armor he can barely stand in, Asuna looks like an angel, and their armed with butter knives. Seriously Kyaba?_ _ **(To be Uploaded)**_ _**|I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Please… Don't Do this_ _~ Asuna's had enough. The lonely and tired girl gazed below at the water from where she was sitting, was it worth it? And if so, what could change her mind? A boy from her past who's been looking for her since she beat him in a tournament two and a half years ago. 'I will NOT lose you! Never again!' Heavy AU_ _**(Completed)**_

 _The Hacker's Role_ _~ I unknowingly helped make the game unhackable from the outside, and now I'm going to make up for my mistakes. I wasn't originally trapped in the game, but now? Now I'm the mystery that keeps players alive. I was a Beta Tester alongside my childhood friend 'the Rat,' and now I'm nicknamed "the Hacker" or "AI." Why? Because in other players eyes, I can't be killed, so I will beat this game. (Collection centered around Caylee's involvement in SAO.)_ _ **(In Progress)**_

 _What I Power My Sword With_ _~ ...I power it with love. Love for her, my equal and better half. I power my sword with the thought of protecting everyone in the Underworld and one day returning to the girl with amber eyes and long caramel colored hair named Asuna Yuuki. I know she's waiting for me, with open arms for when I return. Kirito will always carry Asuna in his heart, even in a world tens of years away._


	27. Lost Memories: Nightmare, Mystery Person

_**~Ivystormrandomness~**_

 _This is my SAO series Little Moments Ivystorm :P It's one of the many stories I'm writing and posting up here Xd_

 _ **~Duckwhisker~**_

 _I really like this AU series so far too, it's shaping up to be a beautiful series ^_^_

 _ **~S10MC2015~**_

 _If only I could be paid to write all the stories I write on this website XD Although… can the world really handle two of me? I'm pretty different from most of the people I know XD_

* * *

 _Something soft brushed against his lips, encouraging the dual wielding swordsman to wake up and return to his VR reality._

" _Kirito," a soft voice spoke his name in a familiar and loving tone and the soft pressure against his lips disappeared as the voice piped up. "You should get up hun, before the girls come running in here to tackle you."_

 _Kirito couldn't help the reluctant groan that escaped his lips and blindly reached for the person who he could feel was on her hands and knees beside him on the bed. "I'm sleeping Asuna…"_

" _I know, but you know Yuuki, she'll jump on you till you get up and take her out to practice," a gentle hand carded through his messy hair as she spoke, further soothing the sleepy swordsman._

 _Kirito's hands found the person's waist and he tugged them down next to him, snuggling close to the person. "Get Klein to take her and stay here with me," he mumbled into her strawberry scented hair._

 _Asuna giggled and Kirito felt her arms slip around his back to rub soft circles into his shirt. "Like that would ever work you dork," she hummed with amusement, "Yuki wants the strongest swordsman in SAO to train her, not a guild leader."_

" _Hmm… if she wanted a guild leader you'd do," Kirito teased and felt Asuna lightly pinch the skin between his shoulder blades through his shirt. "You're a fantastic guild leader."_

" _A guild leader who spends most of her time at home dealing with a six and ten aged little girls who I just happened to adopt." Asuna threw the tease back at him and Kirito laughed._

" _Okay so adopting Yuuki was my fault," Kirito conceded, "but you've had Yui around for literal years honey."_

 _Asuna sighed with feigned annoyance. "Oh dear, I'm just so sorry for not leaving a baby hardly a year old in the woods alone and by herself."_

" _Oh come on, stop twisting my words," Kirito complained."You know I didn't… mean it... like that," Kirito trailed off, noticing the sudden lack of Asuna's presence as he opened his eyes. "Asuna?"_

 _Kirito flung off the blankets and sheets, flinging himself to his feet and looking wildly around for his young bride and partner in arms. "Asuna?!" He couldn't help the panic beginning to rise in his voice as the light in the room dimmed, bathing the room with darker, stiff shadows and showing off Asuna's lack of presence._

 _He could feel his heart pounding in his chest and he ran through the cabin, his feet slipping on the hardwood flooring as he raced up the stairs and toward the girls' bedroom upstairs. "Yui? Yuuki?"_

 _Nothing. There were no traces of his and Asuna's adopted girls beyond discards puppets and various toys laying on the ground alongside Yuuki's obsidian purple sword._

" _Come on girls, this isn't funny!" Kirito couldn't help but exclaim, checking each room in the cabin and panicking at the less and beginning lack of their things in the cabin. "Asuna!"_

 _He couldn't find them, Kirito leaned against the dining table, breathing hard like he had just been in a boss battle. Where could they have gone? What happened to them? To the family he and Asuna had built over three years?!_

 _They were nowhere to be seen._

" _ASUNA!"_

"Kirito!"

Kirito jolted awake to water being splashed all over his face. The cold liquid hitting his face felt like a harsh slap, the liquid mixing with the tears that made his vision extremely blurry as he sat bolt upright. His chest was heaving for air as he sat there, lifting a shaking hand to his face and recognizing the sticky feeling of his body being covered in cold sweat.

"Kaz- I mean Kirito," Sugu's voice pulled Kirito firmly into the reality in front of him and the boy looked up at her, disorientation in his dark eyes. Clearly confused and disorientated from the nightmare, "are you okay? You were crying in your sleep again."

"I'm fine," Kirito's voice shook on each word, only furthering his sister's concern as he ran a hand over his face once and let his hand drop with a shaky breath. "I'm fine, just a nightmare."

"Do you remember anything this time?" Sugu prodded gently and leaned over to brush her brother's cold sweat drenched fringe from his face and eyes. "Anything about what was in the nightmare?"

Kirito swallowed hard, fighting the feeling of his heart beating at the hundred miles a minute before replying. "I… I don't know," he told her shakily, "maybe a cabin of sorts? But… I don't remember who was there with me."

Sugu's eyes were sad and obviously wished that she could help her brother remember as she spoke. "So it was another dream with the mystery person?"

Kirito nodded, then shook his head, disagreeing with himself and making him confused. The boy leaned over, hunching his shoulders and cradling his now aching head in his hands, his body still shaking from the nightmare. _What's wrong with me?_ He asked himself, gritting his teeth against the pain erupting in his skull along with the frustration he was feeling and the deep aching in his heart. _Why can't I remember her?_ He stopped short. "Her…"

"Huh?" Sugu asked, blinking at him in confusion before it clicked in her mind and her green eyes brightened considerably, "the mystery person's a girl?"

Kirito nodded a little, "I think…" he said, speaking slowly and thinking, "I'm just not sure though."

Sugu smiled at her brother and gently began to rub at his back, hoping to make him feel better. "At least it's something right? I mean it shows that being around these people from SAO all the time is making your memories clear up some. You remember Sachi and the Moonlit Black Cats now and bits and pieces of the first few months, plus we finally have a gender to match to the mystery person you dream about."

"I don't choose to dream about them all," Kirito murmured softly, thinking his mind was playing tricks on him went he felt something stir in his heart and could've sworn he heard footsteps down the hall through walls that were supposed to be almost completely soundproof. "I just… I feel like I'm missing something."

Kirito may not be able to see Sugu's sad expression, but he could feel a little of the emotion emanating from her along with the frustration that she couldn't help him. He took a deep breath to steady himself and moved away from her with a shaky smile, trying to get himself under control and making Sugu worry about him less. "I'm okay now Sugu, you can go back to your room. Tell Liz I'm sorry for waking you both."

"How about you apologize in person you dork," a certain pink haired girl poked her head through the swordsman's quarters, her pink hair in goofy disarray in the form of her bed head for this morning. Her pink eyes were amused despite her rather cranky words and she stepped into the room, pulling the door all the way open and keeping it open.

"Sorry Liz," Kirito apologize with a smile, his smile still shaken up from his nightmare. "Didn't mean to ruin your beauty sleep." As he said that he waved a finger around toward his hair in the form of a cheeky tease.

Liz gave him a grinning smirk, "this beauty's always prepared to be a beauty," she took the tease in her stride and straightened her expression into a more serious one. "Now get your butt off of that bed and throw on some running shoes and a jacket. It's a little chilly outside."

Kirito nodded and did as Liz suggested, having gotten used to getting up and running after a nightmare. Not that Liz ever came, rather her rather quiet friend Asuna ran with him, seemingly able to sense whenever he was up early from a nightmare. He could've sworn the beautiful chestnut haired girl had him under surveillance if Liz hadn't told him Asuna wasn't the type, she was just really kind and enjoyed helping others.

"Come on Sugu, we've got an hour before role call," Liz told Kirito's sister with a grin, "I'm looking forward to a few more zz's, what do you think?"

Sugu glanced at her brother tying his shoes, her eyes lingering worriedly on him, her face coated in concern.

"You ready Kirito?" Asuna's slim form emerged at the door, her footsteps softer than the average human's, as if she was walking on a bed of air instead of the ground. The chestnut haired girl was wearing a white and red windbreaker with three stars at the collar, a sign of her ranking in her guild the Oath of Justice. Paired with the wind breaker that was zipped up to the collar were simple light grey yoga pants to protect her legs from the chilly morning air and her staple white and red running shoes. Her long hair was pulled up into a long pony, leaving the silky strands to sway and bounce with her movements.

Kirito looked up from his shoes and stood up, casting his sister a reassuring smile before jogging toward the door, "yeah, let's get out there."

Asuna nodded, handing him one of her bluetooth earbuds before turning and jogging down the hall, slowing her pace to match Kirito's, which he was grateful for. He had seen her sprint times listed in the records and while he was still inhumanely fast, she almost doubled his speed with ease. Asuna practically walked on air, seemingly unaffected by friction and easily splitting the air around her in the form of a lightning fast sprint. "Come on," she gestured to him and took the lead as they escaped the main building's front doors and cold air whipped against their faces, nipping at their nose.

Asuna lead the way in silence besides their music as they jogged at the fast pace around the left side of the sets of trails bordering and weaving through the campus for about ten minutes. Letting Kirito stew in his thoughts for a while till speaking up. "Don't be hard on yourself."

Kirito shook the cobwebs of his thoughts from his head and turned his head toward her for a moment before looking forward again to make sure he didn't crash into any trees again. "Come again?"

Asuna patiently explained it again, her expression as calm and peaceful as it always was whenever he saw her running outside. which she did pretty much all free time every day besides hanging out with Liz and the two Kirigaya siblings. "Don't be so hard on yourself for not remembering the subject of your dreams," she explained in that calm even voice of hers. "Our memories are faulty and that means we could be dreaming about things that our brains were reprogrammed to bury deep in our minds." She glanced at him and gave him a breathtaking but sincere smile, "it'll take time for our brains to return to normal even with the correct stimulation."

Kirito had to agree with her, deep down he knew it was just a matter of time till he found his buried memories beneath the black hole that existed there. "I guess you're right," he agreed with a deep breath as they turned a corner and continued running, "I just have to be patient."

Asuna hummed an agreement and kept running, her amber and blue eyes wandering around the landscape with idle attention.

Kirito meanwhile was thinking about what Asuna had said. Was it really just a matter of time? What if it took years to remember who stood at his side in SAO for those three years and what about that younger girl's voice that echoed in his mind? Was she here somewhere too?

"Do you have any particular memories of someone blocked too Asuna?" He didn't even notice he asked the question till Asuna stopped abruptly, giving him a slightly wary look. He then blinked, "what?" He mentally ran through what he had been thinking, did he say something strange?

After a moment the wariness in Asuna's eyes vanished and she gave him a gentle smile. "Of course," she told him patiently. A soft glitter of affection twinkling in her eyes for the one she was speaking of. The warm tones of her voice spoke of many feelings and memories although locked away, were unique and precious to the girl's heart, spoke of her feelings for the one she was speaking about, "and when my memories return I know I'll search for him again. Just like how he searched for me."

Kirito couldn't help but smile at her sincerity and optimism, "whoever he is is the luckiest player around."

Asuna laughed, "c'mon, we should be running not talking," she started running at a soft pace, matching Kirito's run as he followed suit. "Plus if anything it's the other way around, after all, he saved me."

Kirito lightly shook his head in disapproval, his eyes twinkling with soft amusement. _Nah, the guy's luckier Asuna. You're too beautiful and special for any average guy in the world._

If only he knew how right his statement actually was as he ran beside her, oblivious to their past together inside the games.

* * *

 _ **Why I'm keeping these so short I have no idea XD But I hope you all enjoy them, even though I'm an idiot and forgot to set my calendar alarm for the next upload XD**_

* * *

 **Other SAO Stories**

 _I'll wait for as long as it takes Kirito_ _~ Kirito has decided after being in a party with her for a year, that Asuna's potential is limitless. So she needs to be with a guild, the new third guild called the KoB. But to get her there he may have to push her away to get her to leave him and join the guild. However, one sentence stops him in his tracks 'Because I love you! I love you much to leave...' (Kirisuna)_ _ **(COMPLETED) (Sequel Completed) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _New Memories And Resolve_ _~ Numbed by rejection and heartbreak, Asuna is at a loss of what to do. So she makes the hard decision to follow Kirito's wishes and join the KoB, purely for his sake. However, Kirito wants one more day with her, a last day of making new memories and and giving her the strength to go on. "I care for you more than you'll ever know Asuna…" (Sequel to 'I'll wait as long as it Takes Kirito) (Kirisuna)_ _ **(Completed) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Was it All a Joke to You?_ _ ***New***_ _Getting used to the separation is hard for both parties, but when Kirito and other players' lives are in danger, Asuna instantly comes to his aid. However, harsh words are said after an accidental kiss from Sachi and now Asuna is left wondering, "was it all a joke to him?" (Sequel to 'New Memories and Resolve) (Kirisuna) (_ _ **Completed) |I'll wait Forever Series|**_

 _Stolen Kisses, Iron Resolve_ _~ After seeing Asuna change drastically to the point where he sometimes fears for her life, Kirito wavers in his decision. What it really a good idea to seperate when Asuna was so torn up by it? They both falter, and for a few moments it's like it's gone back to normal. Something happens and Kirito's resolve is strengthened to iron. But is it really for the best? To push her away only to be drawn back to her and have to push her away again? (Sequel to Was if All a Joke to You?) (Kirisuna) (_ _ **In progress) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Butter Knives and Togas_ _~ Argo needs info, Asuna and Kirito volunteer, they find out there's a reason no player escaped the dungeon, and it's a miracle Kirito can take his eyes off of Asuna at all. Plus the next boss fight is in two days, their inventories have been snatched, Kirito's wearing armor he can barely stand in, Asuna looks like an angel, and their armed with butter knives. Seriously Kyaba?_ _ **(To be Uploaded)**_ _**|I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Please… Don't Do this_ _~ Asuna's had enough. The lonely and tired girl gazed below at the water from where she was sitting, was it worth it? And if so, what could change her mind? A boy from her past who's been looking for her since she beat him in a tournament two and a half years ago. 'I will NOT lose you! Never again!' Heavy AU_ _**(Completed)**_

 _The Hacker's Role_ _~ I unknowingly helped make the game unhackable from the outside, and now I'm going to make up for my mistakes. I wasn't originally trapped in the game, but now? Now I'm the mystery that keeps players alive. I was a Beta Tester alongside my childhood friend 'the Rat,' and now I'm nicknamed "the Hacker" or "AI." Why? Because in other players eyes, I can't be killed, so I will beat this game. (Collection centered around Caylee's involvement in SAO.)_ _ **(In Progress)**_

 _What I Power My Sword With_ _~ ...I power it with love. Love for her, my equal and better half. I power my sword with the thought of protecting everyone in the Underworld and one day returning to the girl with amber eyes and long caramel colored hair named Asuna Yuuki. I know she's waiting for me, with open arms for when I return. Kirito will always carry Asuna in his heart, even in a world tens of years away._


	28. Lost Memories: My Baby Girl

_**This chapter is shorter, but I couldn't bear writing after this perfect ending :P**_

* * *

 _Lost Memories: My Little Girl_

"Children?" Kirito thought nothing else about the situation he was in could surprise him, yet once again he was proven wrong. "They're bringing the child players here?!" He couldn't help the panic in his voice. The panic that rose unreasonably up in his throat and make his chest tight with an emotion he couldn't place. Or maybe he could but just didn't want to.

"Yeah," Liz spoke uncomfortably, looking rather uneasy herself from her position sitting cross legged beside Sugu on the empty second bed in Kirito's quarters. "I'm not sure exactly why cause they aren't bringing all the kids, just ones that other players raised…"

"Is that…" Sugu started speaking, her green eyes soft with concern, "is that why Asuna stormed out of your shared quarters yesterday?"

Liz visibly swallowed and nodded, a look of pain emerging in her pink eyes. "Asuna only remembers me because I've been there with her since she emerged from a second game. There's only one person she remembers without having needed a lot of pushing and reminders in the beginning and it's a young girl." Liz's eyes looked a little watery as she continued, "Asuna remembers the girl she raised in SAO, who she raised from close to an infant to when she was separated from her at the end of the game and reunited with her in the second game only to watch her die in the second game. That's where most of Asuna's nightmares come from. It's not like many of us who can't remember who we're dreaming about, Asuna vividly remembers holding the girl in her arms in the second game, unable to do anything but watch her HP drain to zero and watch her shatter in her arms."

Sugu's eyes widened, "why didn't Asuna tell any of us?"

"She doesn't want to burden anyone," Kirito spoke in a hushed voice before Liz, his heart tight with concern and understanding even as he spoke. Able to understand the pain Asuna was silently carrying around and not wanting to burden anyone with it. "She's in charge of an entire guild out here, in charge of their mental states and training them. She doesn't want to appear weaker than her guild needs her to be right now as everyone figures out their memories."

Liz nodded thickly, "hit the nail right on the head there Kirito." She looked at both of them, "Asuna always thinks of what everyone else needs from me, to you guys, to her other friends, and even to her guild. She talks to me about Yui, her daughter, because she can't hide the nightmares and staying up late sketching out a picture of her daughter in the silence. If I didn't share a room with her I doubt even I would know about Asuna's pain regarding her family in SAO."

"Her family?" Sugu echoed, glancing at her brother as she spoke, "Asuna had a family in SAO too?"

Liz nodded again, pink eyes glistening a little, "yeah, there are nights where Asuna tries drawing them all but can never draw the other two no matter how hard she tries and how upset it makes her. All she remembers is she was married in the game to another player and together they adopted two players, Yui and the other girl who she doesn't remember."

"Yuuki," Kirito's voice was a rather emotional croak, his silver eyes gleaming distant as his mind grew lost in his blocked memories and his search for them all. His search for his family just like Asuna was searching for hers.

Sugu looked sharply at Kirito, "who?" When she noticed the look in her brother's eyes she pressed harder, "who's Yuuki Kirito?"

Kirito looked at her, his silver eyes lost and confused, "I… I don't know." his voice broke, "I can't remember who it is…" Tears burned at his throat and the corners of his eyes, "I can't remember Sugu."

* * *

The morning run with Asuna the next morning was more tense than Kirito had thought it would've been but in a way he wasn't surprised. Asuna was completely lost in her own thoughts, oblivious to the world around her beyond muscle memory and stopping when she heard his breathing get too uneven at her faster pace than normal.

The chestnut haired girl's eyes were distant, no doubt thinking about today's arrival of the children players that should begin right after their run. Kirito knew she wasn't even sure if Yui, her daughter, would even be there after witnessing her death in the second game, she was trapped in and it riddled Asuna with pain and fragile hope.

He wished he could do something to make her feel better, but he wasn't much better himself. Last night's nightmare had shaken him up to the point of spending ten minutes throwing up. Having seen his mystery person die once again in his dreams. However, he also knew at least on some conscious level who Yuuki was. Yuuki was the name of his daughter, a player with bright pinkish hued amber eyes and long black hair with a sunny attitude and a love for learning. But even if he remembered her, would she remember him too?

So being mindful of Asuna's turbulent thoughts and mind Kirito kept quiet, his anticipation and fear getting closer by the second as they finished their loop at the front building.

With perfect timing as everyone was already gathered together at the front and one of the shuttle vans were parked in front of them all.

 _Here goes nothing,_ Kirito thought shakily to himself as he and Asuna slowed to a stop next to Liz and Sugu. E _ven if she doesn't remember me I need to at least just see her again, I need to make sure she's healthy and safe even if she doesn't remember me._

After a moment Kirito felt something wrap around two of his fingers and he looked down to find Asuna's index and middle fingers wrapped anxiously around his ring and pinkie finger as the children spilled from the van, essembling in a large semi scared group.

* * *

" _It's okay Asuna," Kirito couldn't help but laugh a little at the redness of her cheeks. "It's not that embarrassing holding my hand is it?" He asked her in a low voice, his breath tickling her ear._

 _If possible Asuna's face got redder and she lightly squeezed his two fingers in a slight reprimanding manner. "Shut up and pay attention to Heathcliff," she muttered, keeping her eyes fixed on Heathcliff's holographic plans for the boss battle. Her sharp eyes picking out all and every strategy, flaw, and strength in her leader's plan._

 _Kirito hummed with amusement but did as she asked, silently relishing in the comforting warmth of her fingers wrapped around his._

* * *

Kirito blinked free from his vague memories, the memory of which vanished the moment he refocused, slightly shaking his head before gently squeezing Asuna's fingers. Looking out at the parked van and not at her. He did however speak to her, "it's okay Asuna," he murmured, feeling inclined to say the words in that way, finding them familiar to pronounce as if he had said them before. "She's here, just look for her."

Asuna's fingers tightened their grip and she breathed a shaky breath but did nothing else. Her anticipation and fear remaining hidden from her face as a name was called.

"Yuuki, raised by Kirito the Black Swordsman-" The staff member's word were cut off by the yell of a small child who pushed through the other children.

"Mama!" Dark silver eyes fixated on Asuna accompanied by long black hair, fair skin similar in color to Asuna's, and a lanky build for her young age. The child was wearing a pink sweater and brown skirt with brown ankle boots, and Kirito knew who it was purely by the sudden sob that escaped Asuna's throat.

Asuna instantly took to her knees and released Kirito's fingers, opening her arms for the small girl who was breaking into a run toward her. Tears shone in Asuna's eyes, tears of relief and motherly love. It was like a massive weight had been lifted from the caramel haired girl's slender shoulders at the sight of her SAO child perfectly safe and healthy. "Yui!"

* * *

 **Other SAO Stories**

 _I'll wait for as long as it takes Kirito_ _~ Kirito has decided after being in a party with her for a year, that Asuna's potential is limitless. So she needs to be with a guild, the new third guild called the KoB. But to get her there he may have to push her away to get her to leave him and join the guild. However, one sentence stops him in his tracks 'Because I love you! I love you much to leave...' (Kirisuna)_ _ **(COMPLETED) (Sequel Completed) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _New Memories And Resolve_ _~ Numbed by rejection and heartbreak, Asuna is at a loss of what to do. So she makes the hard decision to follow Kirito's wishes and join the KoB, purely for his sake. However, Kirito wants one more day with her, a last day of making new memories and and giving her the strength to go on. "I care for you more than you'll ever know Asuna…" (Sequel to 'I'll wait as long as it Takes Kirito) (Kirisuna)_ _ **(Completed) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Was it All a Joke to You?_ _ ***New***_ _Getting used to the separation is hard for both parties, but when Kirito and other players' lives are in danger, Asuna instantly comes to his aid. However, harsh words are said after an accidental kiss from Sachi and now Asuna is left wondering, "was it all a joke to him?" (Sequel to 'New Memories and Resolve) (Kirisuna) (_ _ **Completed) |I'll wait Forever Series|**_

 _Stolen Kisses, Iron Resolve_ _~ After seeing Asuna change drastically to the point where he sometimes fears for her life, Kirito wavers in his decision. What it really a good idea to seperate when Asuna was so torn up by it? They both falter, and for a few moments it's like it's gone back to normal. Something happens and Kirito's resolve is strengthened to iron. But is it really for the best? To push her away only to be drawn back to her and have to push her away again? (Sequel to Was if All a Joke to You?) (Kirisuna) (_ _ **In progress) |I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Butter Knives and Togas_ _~ Argo needs info, Asuna and Kirito volunteer, they find out there's a reason no player escaped the dungeon, and it's a miracle Kirito can take his eyes off of Asuna at all. Plus the next boss fight is in two days, their inventories have been snatched, Kirito's wearing armor he can barely stand in, Asuna looks like an angel, and their armed with butter knives. Seriously Kyaba?_ _ **(To be Uploaded)**_ _**|I'll Wait Forever Series|**_

 _Please… Don't Do this_ _~ Asuna's had enough. The lonely and tired girl gazed below at the water from where she was sitting, was it worth it? And if so, what could change her mind? A boy from her past who's been looking for her since she beat him in a tournament two and a half years ago. 'I will NOT lose you! Never again!' Heavy AU_ _**(Completed)**_

 _The Hacker's Role_ _~ I unknowingly helped make the game unhackable from the outside, and now I'm going to make up for my mistakes. I wasn't originally trapped in the game, but now? Now I'm the mystery that keeps players alive. I was a Beta Tester alongside my childhood friend 'the Rat,' and now I'm nicknamed "the Hacker" or "AI." Why? Because in other players eyes, I can't be killed, so I will beat this game. (Collection centered around Caylee's involvement in SAO.)_ _ **(In Progress)**_

 _What I Power My Sword With_ _~ ...I power it with love. Love for her, my equal and better half. I power my sword with the thought of protecting everyone in the Underworld and one day returning to the girl with amber eyes and long caramel colored hair named Asuna Yuuki. I know she's waiting for me, with open arms for when I return. Kirito will always carry Asuna in his heart, even in a world tens of years away._


	29. Hidden Secrets

**_~Ivystormrandomness~_**

 _Nooo! Don't die! XD_  
 _~a54321~_

 _I'm glad you like them! It's fun writing these ^_^_

 ** _~98~_**

 _It's coming soon, some time after this random piece XD_

 ** _~S10MC2015~_**

 _Writers Block suuucks XD_

* * *

_Hidden Secrets_

Sky blue eyes gazed sadly into eyes the color of obsidian, but now lacked their fierce luster.

"If only…" Alice's voice was quiet as she gazed at the broken warrior in front of her. Knowing full well that by his mute and almost completely unresponsive state, he was currently lost in the memories that daily plagued his mind. "… If only I knew what went on in your head Kirito… I wish I could help."

"You do help him Alice," a naturally soft-spoken tenor voice forced Alice's blue eyes from the warrior and to the other blonde that had just walked into the room.

"He needs help adjusting to loosing both of his legs like that, even if it's just temporary," the blonde told her softly as he removed the sword belt around his waist. Before he almost reverently placed the white and blue sheathed sword up above the mantle of the fireplace, "and you've been helping him Alice."

The gentle smile on his face helped lessen the harsh worry in Alice's heart, but not enough to make it all go away.

"I know Eugeo, it's just…" Alice sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose as she got up from the floor and sat down on the couch Kirito was facing. "Whenever he's like this I have to wonder what happened when we weren't there with him."

Eugeo said nothing for a moment, ever the reserved man of only important words, as he walked over and with his usual careful motions sat beside her on the couch. A sword strengthened yet delicate hand going around the golden blonde's shoulders and giving her a gentle squeeze.

"I don't think anyone knows what truly happened to Kirito's squad during that raid Alice, all of the squads were split up under the sheer number of monsters that flooded the room to protect the Gleam Eyes. Not to mention that we haven't seen the Princess since that assassination attempt on floor fifty-two, and that was almost six-months ago know." Eugeo repeated his earlier gentle squeeze of Alice's shoulders, blue eyes rimmed with concern and full of empathetic understanding. "We all know how close he was with the princess, and even then, the only one who knows the full extent of his relationship with the princess would be the two of them, and the princess's body guard."

Alice leaned forward on her arms, resting her elbows on her knees and burying her head into her hands in a stressed and frustrated manner. Completely helpless to help their best friend. "I know all that," she growled, unable to keep the bitterness out of her voice, "but it's our fault his squad died, and the princess was crippled because of the Integrity Knights' inability to be what we're supposed to be!" She squeezed her eyes shut, fighting the burning tears pricking at her eyes, "we're supposed to be an army! An army that protects the people, the commander, and the princess!"

"And we are an army," Eugeo pointed out quietly, blue eyes straying to his childhood friend sitting motionless in the wheelchair in front of him besides the twitch of his fingers. "We're just an army barely thrown together to protect the human world from the dark forces who suddenly surged forward to take our homelands. It's bad enough that the Underworld is completely over run now, but now…"

Alice took advantage of Eugeo's trailing off of his sentence to continue it for him, "now we're fighting in the multi floored world of Kirito's homeland, Aincrad, where the dark forces lurk around every corner."

* * *

Onyx colored eyes blurrily focused properly at the sound of voices. His shaky vision and senses kicking in and allowing him to see where he was for the first time in weeks.

The amounts of white in the room around him nearly blinded him at first, and the boy was forced to sit there. His eyes watering from the pain while his eyes adjusted as what felt like a snail's pace with his eye's inability to squint or close besides blinking and slowly closing on command.

However, judging by the amount of white in the room, the various metal objects and machines he could see around him, and the presence of someone gently guiding the wheelchair's direction while his body worked on autopilot to push himself, he was at a hospital.

 _Nooo…_ the possibility of being at a hospital again for the seventh day in a row judging by his shaky sense of smell that had been picking up on the smell of chemicals and sterilizing solution, made him want to open his mouth and announce his return to the conscious world.

Especially when he was being dragged to therapy by his own auto-pilot body's betrayal, but nothing came out of his mouth besides a harsh breath of air. His body still malfunctioning after the soul-link severing that had happened almost six months ago now.

The harsh breath however, was enough for the golden blonde walking beside him with a series of papers in her hands to gently tug on the handle of his wheelchair. Forcing his auto-pilot body to stop the wheelchair.

"Welcome back Kirito," Another voice spoke, and Kirito's obsidian colored eyes turned toward the source along with his head. Revealing the man's best friend Eugeo now crouching beside the chair with a gentle smile.

"How're you feeling?" Alice spoke up, shuffling into Kirito's vision and crouching down beside Eugeo after gathering her skirt properly around her legs. "You've been out of it since last night."

The news didn't surprise Kirito one bit. He was used to having massive blanks of memory regarding the real world and not the world his mind frequently slipped into. A world where his soul-mate and partner was still with him and his mind, body, and heart wasn't reduced to the useless lump of human he was now. He didn't bother trying to speak again, rather he tilted his chin in a little toward his chest in the barest of nods accompanied by the slight shrug of his shoulders. Silently signaling that he felt fine.

Even though truthfully, he didn't. He lost had his squad, his new family just a short two months ago. A mere four months after losing his fiancé, his daughter, and his own family. The only thing driving him after his family's death by Laughing Coffin had been his squad. Ducker, Keita,Tetsuo, Sasamaru, and most of all, the girl practically his little sister Sachi.

Protecting them all had led him to fight, so when they died in the hospital, Kirito had lost everything he was fighting for. The news of his soul-mate's lack of appearance in her homeland Alf-Heim was the final straw, and so without hope of ever seeing her again, their soul-linked had severed. Causing Kirito to retreat into his broken mind and heart, leaving his body crippled under his injuries and incapable of helping himself.

Alice leaned over and brushed his fringe out of his eyes; a motion that made Kirito's shattered heart ache with a reminder of how his soul-mate had always done that before leaning forward and sweetly kissing him.

"Alice, don't," Eugeo picked up on Kirito's emotions before Alice did, and the blonde took a hankerchief from his pocket, before to Kirito's numb surprise, brushed the cloth over the crippled boy's face. "It's okay to cry Kirito," he smiled at him and Kirito blinked, having not realized he had been crying in the first place, "we know you miss her."

Alice's blue eyes were full of guilt as she softly apologized and stood up, busying herself with the papers in her hands to avoid looking at either of them.

Kirito gazed blankly at the air in front of him, his mind lost in memories of his soul-mate's chestnut colored hair and gentle but fierce amber eyes.

 _"Cheer up daddy!" His daughter's sweet voice giggled as she climbed up onto his lap and threw her arms around his neck, standing on his lap and giggling, "Mama's making sandwiches for dinner!"_

 _Kirito couldn't help but perk up a little at the mentioning of his soul-mate's cooking skills and he lifted his tired from battle planning eyes toward his soul-mate._

 _Who had been standing patiently beside his desk chair, watching him and their youngest daughter with a loving expression on her face._

 _At Kirito's gaze on her she smiled, showing him a loving smile that appeared slightly amused before she walked closer and picked up their young daughter in her arms. "Yuuki figured you'd want that after a long day of battle plans," she explained as she set their youngest down and lightly ushered her toward the door. "Go find your sister Yui," she encouraged their youngest who briefly hugged her mother's legs before running off at a speed evident of being her mother's daughter._

 _Kirito moved his arms, allowing her to sit side-saddle in his lap as he smiled at her with love in his eyes. "I should thank her then," he chuckled, "because she's right, I definitely like the sound of your famous sandwiches for dinner."_

 _His soul-mate chuckled herself and brushed his fringe from his face, amber eyes wandering lovingly over his tired face before she leaned in and sweetly pressed her lips to his for a long moment. Smiling gently at him once she had pulled back slightly, "relax a little till dinner, you need it hun."_

"…unresponsive."

Kirito blinked, his eyes focusing on the world around him and nearly giving the doctor standing in front of him a heart attack as his sharp eyes focusing intently on him with a battle worn fierce stare.

"Mr. K-Kirigaya," the doctor stumbled a little over Kirito's name before he sighed and pushed his glasses higher up his nose, "as mentally unfocused as ever," he stated briskly and stepped away from him holding the device that allowed him to check his ears to make sure the young man was healthy. "How old are you now Kirito?"

Kirito said nothing, watching the doctor move around the room and feeling his chest aching with more pain than usual. The pain brought on by the memories of a peaceful moment with his soul-mate. He didn't want to deal with the doctor right now, especially when this doctor always treated him like a little child.

Alice spoke for him, her tone brisk and direct. "Kirito's twenty-three now sir, the very same age as he was during the last visit."

The doctor sighed and picked up a tongue depressor from a jar on the small counter and sick in the corner of the room, "so he still can't speak after two months of the soul-link being severed?"

"Yes sir," Alice told him curtly from the corner of Kirito's vision. "Occasionally when woken up mid panic-attack he struggles to say his family's names, but otherwise he's still mute."

 _I'm not mentally mute,_ Kirito grunted, making the words sting his friends minds a little while his eyes narrowed slightly. _I'm not stupid._

Alice blinked, obviously surprised, while Eugeo, who Kirito had figured out was sitting beside him broke into chuckles and lightly patted his friend on the back.

"We know you're not mute that way Kirito," Eugeo smiled, "you just don't really talk to anyone anymore."

Usually Kirito would've stayed silent, but this time he wanted to explain himself a little. So speaking in a tone devoid of emotion, he spoke to both of them, _I only want to talk to her. I'm saving myself for her, no one else._

Alice smiled a little, and Kirito saw her and Eugeo make eye contact before the doctor was in his face and checking his throat and mouth while asking more dumb questions.

"Does his legs function now with the physical therapy?"

Alice shook her head, "he works in physical therapy every few days, and Eugeo and I work with him on exercises at home, but he's still unresponsive."

The doctor sighed as he moved back, and Kirito already knew what he was going to say before he said it. "I don't know what else we can do for him. The princess is dead Alice, and he still refuses to believe that she's truly gone."

Kirito's eyes narrowed slightly in disagreement, but the boy still said nothing, his voice refusing to cooperate despite how his ears were going red with anger. He knew she was still alive, she just had to be. She and their children had to be alive, otherwise why was he still alive? If he was still alive so was she, and nothing could change his mind.

Alice spoke in a low tone, one that Kirito couldn't hear. "I know," she said quietly, "but if I tell him what they found he won't make it to see the next sunrise, sir."

* * *

"Alice?"

Walking through the halls of the hospital again for the third day in a row Alice had never been prepared to hear a voice. The voice of the princess' bodyguard Sinon Asada, the only integrity knight armed with a gun.

Alice slowly turned around, turning toward the source of the voice and found the teal haired cat-sith from the land of Alf-Heim standing next to a windowed room. Leaning against the edge of the window with her sniper and bow slung over her shoulder with a thin sword at her waist. "Sinon?" She couldn't help the confusion and shock in her voice, having believed Sinon and the princess were dead along with the rest of Kirito's family. "What're you doing here?"

"I should be asking you that question," Sinon replied cryptically before explaining herself a little, "you're in the chronic care unit, usually off limits to everyone but integrity knights and royalty."

"I'm an integrity knight just like you," Alice reasoned a little stiffly, "I have every right to be here."

"Maybe," Sinon relented, "but you don't really have a reason to be, I mean Kirito's not with you and even if he was his disease isn't terminal."

The word terminal sparked curiosity and worry in Alice's heart, "terminal? What're you here for that involves a terminal disease?"

Sinon grimaced, obviously she had hoped Alice wouldn't ask her why she was there in the unit. "I'm here on guard duty," she explained vaguely, keeping the details to herself.

Alice gave Sinon an odd look and looked past her, hoping to catch a glance of the occupants of the room. Only to have the window glaze over with white, Sinon having switched the electric blinds on. "Who're you guarding Sinon?"

"It's classified," Sinon replied stiffly, "only ones cleared for access to the knowledge are the general, kings, and myself."

"the general… Kirito? What's Kirito cleared for access but I'm not?" Alice asked, stepping closer to the other knight, a look of suspicion in her eyes. "I'm Kirito's acting guardian along with Eugeo, if Kirito's involved we're automatically cleared for access."

"Trust me Alice, you don't want to know," Sinon explained, her expression remaining stiff and impassive as she spoke, "this is something you don't need to know about."

"Sinon, if you don't tell me in the next five seconds I _will_ pull rank and force you to tell me," Alice retorted fiercely, blue eyes flashing. Sinon's mission involved Kirito, so there was no way in hell she wasn't going to be aware of this particular situation.

Sinon frowned, "don't you dare," she growled, "you're not privy to this information Alice, don't you dare pull rank on me so you can have it."

"I will," Alice threatened, blue eyes dead serious and matched her expression, "if you don't tell me willingly, I'll force you to Sinon."

Sinon pursed her lips, obviously uncomfortable and irritated but she eventually sighed and released the curtains. "You can't tell Kirito."

Alice couldn't believe her eyes.

Sitting in a wheelchair similar to Kirito's, was a particular chestnut-haired woman sitting beside a small hospital bed, both hands gently clasped together around a much smaller hand. A hand belonging to an unconscious girl about twelve-years-old with an oxygen mask over her mouth and nose and bandages wrapped snuggly around her head from her nose and upward.

The woman's gentle eyes were red rimmed and watered with tears, but she seemed to be speaking. Talking to the girl with her hands held close to her face before bringing her hand closer and gently kissing the girl's knuckles in a motherly fashion. Before after a minute or two and the girl's semi rapid breathing slowed and deepened into what looked like sleep, she gently put the girl's hand back down and turned toward the other bed in the room.

Where a much younger child lay, the blankets swamping her tiny form as she coughed and her face screwed up as if she was going to cry.

The woman scooted as close to the bed as she could and slid her arms beneath the small girl's body before gently lifting her and cradling the girl now older than four to her chest. Cradling the little girl close and gently rocking her a little. Amber eyes welling up with tears at the girl, who Alice knew to be her baby, her youngest daughter, beginning to cry and clutch at her shirt.

"The princess…" Alice choked, blue eyes fixed on the three people in the room, "Asuna and her and Kirito's children… they… they survived?"

Sinon nodded and pushed the button to make the blinds return over the window. Forcing Alice to focus on her just as Alice spoke icily.

"Yet nobody told Kirito? Nobody told him that his entire family survived?!"

Sinon narrowed her eyes, "nobody told him for his own health and safety."

"Health and safety-? Kirito's wheelchair-bound and half-unresponsive! How is hiding them from him protecting his health and safety?!" Alice spat, gesturing toward the window, "that's his family Sinon! That's Kirito's wife and soul-mate, his adopted daughter, and their biological baby girl!"

"I know that," Sinon snapped a little harshly, "I know who they are, I was there when Asuna went into labor during a dark force raid without Kirito there! I know better than anyone who Asuna and her daughters are to Kirito!" She harshly poked Alice in the chestplate, "you weren't there having to cover Asuna's mouth to muffle her cries while Yui was born and we were hiding from the dark forces raiding the village!"

* * *

 _Sinon could feel Asuna's tears against the skin of her hands. The birthing woman was shaking hard, shaking with fear at what was going on._

 _A distant cry of pain from one of the villagers before it abruptly cut itself off with a gunshot made Asuna whimper and Sinon could feel her curl up a little move on herself._

 _Sinon could barely see her in the darkness of the rubble they were hiding in, only the wide large amber eyes staring back at her highlighted well in the dark. Amber eyes glistening with pained and terrified tears trickling down her face. Pain from her labor and terror of giving birth and possibly having her and her baby killed by the raiders._

 _Sinon felt a pang of sympathy for the other woman as she groaned in pain through Sinon's hands, her grip on the armplates of Sinon's armor tightening as she trembled violently. Her breath halting as she tried to push, repeating the same process that they had been going through for the past four hours now._

 _'Where's Kirito?' Sinon couldn't help but curse the man in her mind as she rested a hand on her friend's round belly and uttered soft words in the language of magic, encouraging the baby to come out while also giving Asuna more energy with a stamina spell. 'He's going to miss his baby's birth, plus I'm losing feeling in my hands and wrists from how hard Asuna's gripping me.'_

 _Sinon then flinched and quickly uttered a silencing spell as Asuna gave a high-pitched howl of pain, her grip on Sinon's arms becoming unbearably painful for a few moments before she relaxed. Before finally, after keeping herself together for four hours giving birth to her daughter in a dark enclove of rubble without her soul-mate, surrounded by enemy forces, Asuna gave a shaky breath and began to sob, breaking down._

 _"It'll be okay," Sinon whispered, trying to make her friend and princess feel better despite their situation, "he'll be here soon," she tried to soothe her, "it'll be over soon…"_

 _Sinon hissed and gritted her teeth minutes later against the pain as the metal of her armplated groaned and began to break beneath Asuna's grip, the birthing mother screaming through Sinon's hands and spell, thrashing a little from the pain her body was in and the fight to deliver her baby without her husband here with her. "Asuna you have to be quiet!" Sinon hissed and hastily cast another silencing spell as Asuna's scream broke through the first one._

 _"I'm trying!" Asuna panted a moment later, her chestnut-hair sticking to her face from the amount of sweat coating her skin as she shook and took massive gulps of air, "it hurts," she panted, "Only Kirito knows the pain delusion spell."_

 _"Of course, he does," Sinon groaned and mentally cursed him again before she reached down, casing a tiny fire spell to allow her to see if the baby had crowned yet._

 _To her surprise and relief, the top of the baby's head was visible. Meaning Asuna was almost there. However,…_

 _Sinon looked worriedly at Asuna, she needed to catch the baby and use magic to sever and seal the baby's ambilical cord. Which meant she couldn't keep her hands and silence spell over Asuna's mouth to muffle her screams. "Asuna…"_

 _Asuna looked back at her over the top of her spread knees, the woman trembling and harshly biting her tongue and cheek to prevent herself from howling as her face adopted a a flushed red hue once more. She was pushing again, straining to bring her baby into the world even without Kirito's presence. Which would make the birth only more painful._

 _Sinon got the message and settled at her knees, holding her trembling hands out for the baby as Asuna pushed harder._

 _"I can… I can see most of it's head!" She hissed a moment later, and concern shot up her spine, "Asuna hurry! Her skin's going blue!"_

 _Asuna's expression adopted a look of a terrified mother before she squeezed her eyes shut and pushed as hard as she could. Her entire body trembled from the strain and a moment later she bit her cheek so hard that she tasted blood and howled, straining her body in fear of baby's life and disregarding the amount of noise she was making._

 _Instantly Sinon heard the buzz of dark forces chatter, and tried to put it off, her hands shaking harder as Asuna screamed and wailed, straining to get her baby out safely._

 _"The cord's wrapped around her neck!" Sinon scrambled forward panic setting in at the blue tint in the baby's skin. Pressing her fingers to the baby's face and uttering a spell for air and wind, filling the baby's lungs with air and allowing some of the blue to fade in the baby girl's skin, "Asuna unless we get that cord unwrapped around her neck she won't make it! I don't have enough mana for another wind spell!"_

 _Asuna's cries took on a panicked howl and Sinon could feel the earth around her rippling from Asuna's loss of control regarding her magic and lack of her soul-mate's presence._

 _"Come on baby," Sinon pleaded with the baby as the rest of her neck emerged, "hurry and make it, Asuna can't handle a stillborn!"_

 _Asuna was sobbing now, sobbing through her exhausted and pained screams despite the thundering of footsteps and cackling of dark forces as they got closer. "P-please…" Asuna sobbed before breaking off into another scream._

 _'Lady stacia,' Sinon pleaded to the goddess of creation, Asuna's ancestor, 'protect your kin and this baby girl!'_

 _"Knights of Justice! Converge on the enemy! Protect the birthing princess with your lives!" Kirito's voice powerfully rang through the air, "Charge forward to battle!"_

 _If Kirito hadn't been married to Asuna and she hadn't been helping with the birth of their daughter, she could've kissed him out of sheer relief._

 _Asuna heard it too, her body seeming to glean strength from Kirito's voice and presence nearby as she tensed up again and pushed hard, unable to speak during the strong push._

 _"She's almost there Asuna!" Sinon spoke in relief, taking the baby's head and neck into her hands, "keep going!'_

 _"I'm so sorry!" A black clothed man blundered into the small enclove, landing on his hands and knees and quickly taking one of Asuna's clenched hands in his own, "I'm so sorry Asuna!"_

 _Asuna couldn't speak, rather her grip tightened on his hand enough for her, Kirito, and Sinon hear the bones creaking and breaking beneath her hands, and pushed harder._

 _Kirito didn't visibly react to her breaking his hand, instead he leaned over and kissed her sweaty forehead, apologizing repeatedly while she struggled for the last few moments of their baby's birth._

 _Sinon felt the baby's weight hit her hands as it started crying loudly and she hastily cast a severing and sealing spell. Unwrapping the cord from around the baby's neck before hastening to bring the baby to her friend, helping Asuna with the ties on her shirt so that the baby could rest on her mother's warm skin. "Congratulations," Sinon panted, taking a moment to sit properly on the ground and just breathe, "you have a healthy baby girl Asuna, Kirito."_

 _"I'm sorry," Asuna spoke through her heaving breaths and released Kirito's hand before shakily raising the other one to hold over his hand, "I didn't… didn't mean to break it… like that."_

 _Kirito smiled that casually half cocky smile at her that he usually had in situations like this, "it's okay, let me do it," he gently pushed her hand away and uttered a healing spell, repairing his shattered bones and hand till it was as good as new and he gently took her hand. Huddling close to her with his eyes fixed on the baby, "she's beautiful… just like her mother."_

* * *

"Then why didn't anyone say anything about them?!" Alice snarled, "that's his family you've all been hiding from him!"

"Because we didn't know if they would survive the operations to save their lives!" Sinon spat at her and Alice's eyes widened, "There are some things even magic can't heal properly Alice and a shattered skull and damaged brain is one of them! We didn't tell him because they all should've died from the explosion of the cabin on floor twenty-two! Yuuki's going to die any day now even after hundreds of magic spells and technological remedies and we didn't want to subject him to watch his daughter die and wife remain paralyzed from her tailbone down!"

Sinon's silver eyes simmered with anger, "we saved Yui's life but she's still recovering from all the magic and surgeries to repair her ribs and lungs! You weren't there Alice! You didn't see how mangled the three of them were! There was blood everywhere, Yui's chest was practically caved in, and Yuuki's head was smashed beneath a damn boulder! Asuna was pinned beneath chunks of the walls, and yet was still conscious as she healed her children!

She poked Alice again, the blonde looking as white as a sheet, "Asuna can't even use magic anymore because she used so much magic on her children that day to save their lives only to watch one of them slowly die in a hospital and the other be unable to truly run and play like a child again!"

"I didn't… I didn't know…" Alice stumbled over the words, the information Sinon had given her sinking in properly.

"You're right, you didn't know because we didn't want to get Kirito's hopes up only to have all of them pass away in the hospital from their injuries that should've killed them on the spot were it not for their royal blood and Asuna's quick thinking with her magic!" Sinon snarled, "so don't get all pissed off and angry for us keeping it a secret when they all should've died!"

"Sinon."

A third voice entered the conversation, and Alice looked in it's direction to see Asuna sitting in her wheelchair.

Now that the woman was facing her, Alice could see the stress and grief written all over the woman's kind-hearted face. Asuna was clothed in loose white sweatpants and a white t-shirt given to her by the hospital, her hair was braided over her shoulder, and there was a nasal tube in her nose along with two light oxygen canisters strapped to the back of her chair.

In Asuna's arms was a sleeping Yui, her only biological daughter tucked sleeping against her body wrapped in a soft pink blanket with a small teddy bear in her arms and a nasal tube in her nose as well. The black haired girl's long hair was shorter than it used to be, resting midback outside of it's current neat braid by Asuna to prevent it from getting tangled.

Asuna's red-rimmed and exhausted eyes looked back at the two of them, her eyes rather numb with grief and despair. "I'm tired," she spoke quietly to Sinon and looked away, looking down at her daughter who twitched a little in her sleep and nestled closer to her mother's body. "Can you help me return to my room with Yui?"

Sinon's eyes, earlier filled with silver flames, softened into a concerned and gentle look. "Of course, my princess," she offered her a gentle smile and moved away from Alice toward the back of Asuna's wheelchair, "focus on your little one, I'll get us over there. Alice was just leaving anyway."

Asuna nodded slightly and hunched her head and shoulders, snuggling her daughter close. The girl being her only link and reminder of her soul-mate and husband, Kirito. "Bye Alice," she murmured as Sinon began wheeling her away, her attention remaining focused on her daughter.

"Goodbye… Asuna…" Alice spoke once they had turned a corner, her voice still holding shocking and mild confusion at the situation. _Asuna's alive…_

* * *

 ** _I have no idea where this came from other than I watched the latest ALicization episode before christmas XD_**

 ** _btw would you guys rather see more Alicization orientated stuff or Moonlit Cradle Stuff? (For those of you who aren't novel readers, it's basically Asuna and Kirito rebuilding the Underworld from the inside)_**


End file.
